Rewriting History
by Risknight
Summary: Someone (I cannot remember who) asked me once what I thought Penny would be like as a mom. As any mom can tell you, it completely changes your world around. So, welcome to a 'verse where Penny has a daughter, and Sheldon doesn't have a chance.
1. Chapter 1

**Starting from the beginning, how different would TBBT have been if Penny was a single mom when she moved into apartment 4B? Let's find out.**

Sheldon hung up his coat and messenger bag on the back of his chair. He turned to see his roommate staring at the door. Uh, oh. Sheldon knew that look. Leonard was interested in their new neighbor. Normally that would not be of any interest to him, but he had experienced a distinct and unsettling reaction to the pretty blonde moving into 4B. He was certain that he should avoid her if he wanted to maintain his comfortable, hassle-free lifestyle.

"I'm going to invite her over for dinner. It's the neighborly thing to do," Leonard said with a dreamy smile.

Before Sheldon could formulate an adequate excuse, Leonard was out the door. He followed with resignation. This was _not_ a good idea. Leonard knocked on the door and it opened. He opened his mouth but paused. With a bit of confusion both men looked down. Wide green eyes under a mass of light brown curls looked back at them.

The child was holding a stuffed Scooby Doo doll by the tail. She stopped sucking on the third and fourth fingers of her left hand, and walked over and grabbed Sheldon's hand with her small, saliva covered fingers. Sheldon whimpered and tried to tug free, but the kid became a bit unbalanced so he hurriedly steady her with his grip. A moment later their new neighbor peered around the door.

"Oh. Hello again," she said. She reached down and picked up the little girl and settled her on her hip. "Is there something else?"

Leonard was staring at the child, so Sheldon cleared his throat. "We have Indian food. For dinner. If you want to eat with us," he said. Penny looked at Leonard with a frown and then at Sheldon. He had the impression she was trying to figure something out.

The little girl smiled at Sheldon with a gap-toothed grin. "Oki!"

Sheldon felt his cheeks grow warm at the obvious admiration on the little girl's face. Penny laughed softly, and Sheldon felt that warmth from his cheeks spread through his entire body. Dear lord! Was he coming down with something?

Penny rubbed her nose on the little girl's cheek. "No, Cat. He's our neighbor. He lives across the hall."

"Cross 'all?" she repeated.

Penny nodded. "That's right. This is Leonard and Sheldon."

"Leopard and Oki!" Cat sat happily, reaching out for Sheldon. He twitched and stared at her for a second before tentatively reaching out and patting her head. Leonard just kind of shuffled a bit and waved.

Penny smiled vaguely at the two men. "Thank you for the invitation, but I need to get Cat fed and put to bed for the night." The little girl pouted a bit but wrapped her arms around her mommy's neck. Leonard nodded quickly and moved away from the door.

"Oh, of course. Well, um. Welcome to the building. Again. Bye," Leonard said.

Sheldon nodded as Penny closed the door. He turned and followed Leonard back across the hall. Leonard sighed and took a seat on the armchair.

"Well, that's too bad," Leonard bemoaned as he pulled the food containers from the bag.

Sheldon sat down with a confused look. "What is 'too bad'?" he asked.

Leonard shrugged. "Penny's gorgeous, but she has a kid."

Sheldon frowned. "That makes her undesirable?"

Leonard nodded. "I'm not overly fond of kids. Besides, with a kid that young, it's doubtful that Penny goes out much."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Sheldon asked. "You don't go out either."

Leonard rolled his eyes. "Look, she's really attractive but having a child makes it very unlikely that she would have much time for a relationship. And what time she does have is probably spent doing kid stuff. You know, Chuck E. Cheese and waterparks."

Sheldon opened his food tray and took a bite. He considered Leonard's words as he chewed. "I do not understand. Isn't the purpose of establishing a relationship to form a pair bond and procreate?"

Leonard shook his head and sat down. "No. The purpose of dating is… well, it's not always about getting married and having kids. Sometimes it's about something else. Having a good time, getting along."

Sheldon nodded knowingly. "You want coitus."

Leonard turned a bright red. "No!" He glanced at the door and quickly looked down at the floor. "I mean, not really."

The door opened just as the guys were finishing their meal and two men rushed in. "Guess what we found!" Howard exclaimed.

"Hey, guys," Leonard said.

Raj sat down. "This is so cool!"

Howard placed his laptop on the coffee table and opened it up. "We found an early interview with Stephen Hawking!"

A knock on the door grabbed everyone's attention. Howard stood, since he was closest, and opened it up. "Well, hello," he leered.

"Hello," Penny said bit warily. "Sorry to bother you guys, but is Sheldon available?"

Sheldon flushed softly as all eyes turned to him. He stood and walked over to the door. "Yes?"

Penny looked uncomfortable. "Okay, I know this sounds strange, and I'm really sorry to bother you. It's just that my daughter won't lay down unless you come say good night to her."

Sheldon's eyes went wide. "Me? Why me?" His friends gathered around as Penny bit her bottom lip lightly.

"Cat's favorite cartoon is Hulk vs. Thor. She watches it every chance she gets. She thinks you look like her favorite character, Loki, from the movie. She thinks you _are_ Loki. And she wants you to say good night to her." Penny looked sheepish. "Please? It would really mean a lot to her. She isn't too comfortable in the new apartment."

Sheldon ignored the stares his friends were giving him. "I have no objection," he said, stepping into the hall. He followed Penny into her apartment and through the living room. In the bedroom was a full size bed and a small toddler bed. Cat was sitting on the little bed, clutching her Scooby toy and sucking on those two fingers again.

Sheldon walked over nervously. He didn't have any experience with children, but Cat apparently knew what to do. She laid down and tucked the toy under the blanket with her. Sheldon bent over and smoothed the wrinkles out of the blanket. "Good night, Cat."

She grinned up at him. "Wuv you, Oki!"

Sheldon felt that warmth in his stomach again and he patted her head again. He stood and walked from the room. Penny turned out the light and closed the door half way.

"Thank you so much," she said softly. "I really appreciate it."

Sheldon looked down at the floor for a second before meeting her eyes. "I did not mind. How old is she?"

Penny moved to the kitchen and put on a kettle for tea. "She's two. She'll be three soon."

Sheldon followed and took a seat at the counter. "It must be difficult going through a divorce with a child so young."

Penny shook her head. "No divorce. We never married." She sighed. "Which is a good thing now, I guess. Kurt always said we would get married, but he, apparently, was too busy sleeping around to actually make that kind of commitment." She blushed and looked over at him. "Sorry. You don't want to hear my life story."

Sheldon was surprised to find he actually was interested. He cleared his throat and stood. He wasn't comfortable with the interest he had in this woman, or her child. "Well, I better be going. I have friends waiting."

Penny nodded and followed him to the door. She opened it to find his friends all standing in the doorway to 4A waiting. She looked back up at Sheldon. "Thank you, again. I really appreciate it."

Sheldon nodded and walked across the hall. He took his seat in his spot and picked up the tv remote. His friends watched him carefully.

He sighed and looked up. "Is there a problem, gentlemen?"

Leonard looked at him curiously. "What was that about? Why did you say good night to our neighbor's kid?"

"Your CUTE neighbor's kid," Howard added.

Sheldon shrugged. "It was the neighborly thing to do. The little girl is uneasy in her new home. It took little effort on my part, and made the child happy."

"So it's not that you think Penny is attractive?" Leonard asked shrewdly.

Sheldon could not keep the blush from creeping up his neck. The others looked at him with surprise. "Holy Shiva's ghost!" Raj said. "You do!"

Sheldon set his tray down and stood up. "Nonsense," he said as he hurried back to his room.

Once he was gone Leonard looked at Howard and Raj. "Wow! Sheldon has a deal after all." Leonard grinned. "This will be interesting to watch."

Raj shook his head. "You know he's clueless about people, and probably more so about women."

Howard nodded. "We'll have to help. No way will he land your cute neighbor on his own."

Leonard nodded and the three men began watching tv.


	2. Chapter 2

**Sheldon has met his new neighbor and she makes him nervous. What will happen when his friends decide to play match maker?**

Sheldon stopped halfway up the stairs to the third floor abruptly, forcing Leonard, Howard and Raj to bump into each other. He tilted his head and looked closely at the large couch on it's side blocking the stairwell. The guys looked at each other with confusion. Then the couch moved up three steps and they heard giggling.

Sheldon tried to look around the edge, but all he could see was a slender arm. "Penny?"

A bright green eye appeared in his view. It crinkled around the edges, indicating she was smiling. "Hey, Sheldon! Sorry about this. We're almost to the third floor. We'll move out of the way soon!"

More giggles erupted from behind the furniture and it moved some more. It took ten minutes but finally the couch was moved away from the stairs. Penny and another girl leaned against it tiredly. Sheldon blushed lightly as he watched a trickle of sweat slip into Penny's cleavage. Luckily, she didn't notice. Unfortunately, his friends did. He suppressed a groan as Leonard grinned and looked at Penny.

"How are you today?" Leonard asked, elbowing Sheldon slightly.

Penny shrugged. "Tired, mostly. Oh, this is my friend Bernadette. B, this is Leonard, Sheldon, Howard and Rajesh." Bernadette gave the guys a small wave and smile.

Leonard looked at Sheldon and jerked his head toward Penny. Sheldon looked alarmed and stepped back slightly. "We'd be happy to help you ladies, if you want," Leonard said with a smile. "Won't we, guys?"

Raj nodded and Howard stepped closer to Penny's friend. "We'd _love_ to be of service," Howard said with a smarmy smile.

Sheldon tried to think of a way to leave the area without admitting he was uncomfortable around Penny. When he couldn't, he sighed and walked around the couch, looking it over carefully. "I suppose we could move it with a simple pulley system."

Howard looked at Sheldon as if he had lost his mind. "Pulley? Nonsense! We can use a lever and fulcrum."

Sheldon rolled his eyes. "Do you see a lever anywhere around here?"

Howard glared. "We could use you." he groused.

Leonard moved over to mediate the two men. Raj watched silently as the two women maneuvered the couch to the stairs. He moved to stand beside Penny and grabbed hold of the rope the girls had tied around it as a handle, earning him a smile from the two women. They inched it up the steps slowly until they finally made it to the fourth floor. Penny opened the door and they shoved it inside. Bernadette flopped down on it and Penny went to the kitchen. She grabbed three beers and handed them out.

Raj sipped his self-consciously as Penny grabbed a crowbar and began prying a nearby crate apart. Bernadette sat up and looked at Raj. "So, tell us about yourself, Rajesh."

Raj looked panicked for a moment. He looked toward the door but he could still hear the guys arguing down below. He couldn't talk to them! And he couldn't even explain why he couldn't talk to them! Maybe he could write them a note to explain. Penny and Bernadette were looking at him curiously and he squeaked. He looked around for something to write on but there wasn't anything in sight. He frantically checked his pockets. Nothing.

"I need paper!" he cried.

Penny frowned. "What kind?"

"Any kind! I can't talk to women and I need to write it down so you know!" Raj froze and looked at her. His eyes went wide. He opened his mouth and paused. "I'm talking," he said timidly.

Bernadette smiled. "Are you shy?"

Raj shook his head and tried to figure it out. He looked at the beer in his hand and gasped. He took a sip and looked at Penny. "I have selective mutism. I am unable to speak in the presence of women usually."

"Wow. That must suck. So how are you talking to us?" Penny asked as she pried off the end of the crate.

Raj shrugged. "It must be the beer."

Bernadette stood and helped Raj move the panel of wood into the hall. They leaned it against the wall and went back to help Penny begin unpacking the books inside. There wasn't a lot of furniture in the room. Just a small sofa, a couple of bookshelves, a dresser and a 5 foot tall, 3 story doll house.

By the time Sheldon, Leonard and Howard realized the others were gone, the crate was unpacked and broken down. Raj and Bernadette were unwrapping the furniture for the doll house and Penny was placing books on the shelf. Leonard and Howard stood in the bedroom doorway and listen with shock as Raj told Bernadette all about his family in India.

Sheldon looked around the apartment as he approached Penny. "Where is your daughter?" he asked. Penny sighed and reached for another stack of books.

"With her dad. He picked her up this morning," she said.

Sheldon frowned as he began to rearrange the books into alphabetical order. "You do not want her spending time with her paternal parent?"

Penny shook her head. "It's not that. Kurt is a horrible boyfriend, but he's a good enough dad. I just miss her." She frowned slightly at Sheldon. "It's not his usual weekend to get her, but his sister is home from college and wanted to see her." She went around him and began putting the books back the way she had them.

Sheldon's eyes narrowed slightly. Leonard, Howard and Raj looked at each other worriedly. Bernadette sipped her beer and grinned widely. She leaned toward the guys and giggled.

"Whatever happens," she whispered, "don't step in. Penny's about to go junior rodeo."

Sheldon huffed. "Do you have some objection to having the books in order?"

Penny smiled insincerely. "They _are_ in order. _MY_ order."

Sheldon grabbed a stack of books and began moving them. "Well, your order is wrong."

Penny grabbed the stack and tried to tug it out of his hands. "Listen to me, you neurotic scarecrow! You put your books however you want, but these are MINE and they go in order of Cat's preference!"

Sheldon paused the tug-of-war and frowned. "What do you mean?"

Penny huffed and blew a strand of hair from her face. "These are Cat's favorite books! They go in order of most favorite to least so she can find which one she wants easier."

Sheldon looked down at the collection of Brian Jacques books in their hands and his eyes widened. "Cat reads these?"

Penny rolled her eyes. "Of course not. She's only 2. I read her whichever one she picks out. She likes certain ones better than others and it's just easier for her to find them this way."

Sheldon frowned. "Wouldn't it be better to teach her to read so she could find the right book while keeping them in order?"

Penny snatched the books from him. "She is only 2, Sheldon. They don't go in alphabetical order, anyway. They are a series. They would go in chronological order."

Sheldon scoffed. "If they are a series they go in order of release, not chronological order. Everyone knows that."

Penny's eyes narrowed angrily. "I'm only going to say this one more time. You do what you want with your property, but these are _my_ books. I will place them in whatever damn order I want."

Sheldon looked down his nose at her. "There is no need for vulgarity."

Penny's voice was a low growl. "Okay, let me see if I can dumb this down for you. Leave. Books. Alone!"

Sheldon gasped loudly and the guys cringed back. Leonard murmured to Bernadette. "Sheldon's about to go evil genius."

"Dumb down?!" he bellowed. "I have an IQ that is immeasurable! The best guess is 187. What about you? Did you even finish high school?" he sneered.

Penny smiled sweetly. "You have two options, Sheldon." Her voice was low and soft. Bernadette's eyes widened and she scrambled over to open the door. "You can turn around and walk out the door of your own free will, or I can boot your ass out the door." She leaned in closer, her eyes shooting green flames at him. "Please chose option 2."

Sheldon looked wary. "You are resorting to physical violence?"

Penny grabbed the front of his shirts and dragged him to the door. She used his momentum to swing him into the hallway. Leonard and Howard rushed after him. "Damn straight!" she yelled before slamming the door shut.

Sheldon stared at the closed door with a slack jaw. He swiftly turned to Leonard. "This is your fault for insisting we be neighborly!" Then he stormed into 4A and stomped back to his bedroom.

Penny looked at Raj who was as still as a statue. "Well? Why are you still here?"

Raj cringed slightly. "I don't really know."

Bernadette patted his arm. "Go unpack the dishes." Raj nodded gratefully and scurried away. The two women exchanged looks and then giggled.

"I may have over-reacted. I should apologize, huh?" Penny asked.

Bernadette nodded. "Yeah, but wait until you are calm. No sense go over there now and flaring back up."

* * *

Sheldon was stirring honey into his tea, hoping it would help settle his nerves. It had been almost three hours since Penny had bodily removed him from her apartment. Howard and Leonard were sitting on the couch watching Babylon 5. Sheldon sighed with irritation. Leonard and Howard insisted he needed to apologize to Penny. Maybe he did. Why hadn't he just explained to her that he was incapable of leaving the books out of order? She probably wanted nothing more to do with him.

For some reason that was very upsetting to him.

The front door opened and Raj walked in, followed by Penny and Bernadette. Penny gave a small wave toward the couch and walked over to stand on the other side of the table from Sheldon. She placed a plate on it and sighed.

"Sheldon, I want to apologize for losing my temper. It's been a long day, and I shouldn't have let myself get worked up." Penny said softly. "Please forgive me."

Sheldon set his cup down and nodded quickly. "I apologize as well. You are correct. Those books are your property and you may do with them as you please." He tried to hush. He really did. "Even if the order is still wrong."

Penny's temper started to flare but luckily for Sheldon, she caught the quick flash of chagrin in his expression. She tilted her head. "You're OCD?"

Sheldon shook his head fervently. "I have never been diagnosed as such."

Penny watched him for several seconds. She reached out and touched the stack of napkins and slowly turned the top one sideways. Sheldon frowned and fidgeted. After a few seconds he reached out and straightened it back. Penny nodded.

"Okay. I get it," she said. "You can't tolerate disorder, right?"

Sheldon looked down with embarrassment. He couldn't answer. He knew how odd his quirks were to others. He had heard it all his life. Freak, oddball, screw job, nutcase. He didn't want to hear it from Penny, too.

Penny pulled the cover from the plate. She walked to the sink and grabbed a spatula. Sheldon watched as she rearranged the plate of cookies into even stacks instead of one large haphazard mound. Once she was done, she placed the cover back on and handed him the spatula.

"There," she smiled. "I hope you enjoy the cookies." Then she turned and waved bye to Howard and Leonard and gave Raj a brief hug. Moments later, she and Bernadette were gone. Sheldon stared at the spatula in his hand for several seconds. She had understood. And she hadn't laughed.


	3. Chapter 3

**Penny surprises Sheldon. Not only had she NOT laughed at his need for order, but she had accepted it without hesitation. **

Sheldon turned off the water and pushed back the shower curtain. He lifted one leg to step out of the shower and froze. His jaw worked a few times before he found his voice. "LEONARD! LEONARD, HELP!"

Leonard threw open the bathroom door and gawked. Sheldon was peering around the shower curtain, looking angry and embarrassed. "What is she doing in here?" Leonard asked, looking at Cat who was covered in shaving cream and tugging on the bottom of the curtain with a giggle.

Sheldon glared at him. "How should I know? Do something, Leonard!"

A frantic knock sounded at the door and Leonard went to answer it. Sheldon screeched for him to come back. Leonard opened the door for Penny and held up a hand. "She's here. Come on in."

Penny relaxed visibly. "Thank god. I swear she's going to grow up to be an escape artist. You turn your back for a moment and she's gone. She woke up before me and dragged her little stool to the door so she could reach the locks. The landlord is supposed to come by later and put a new lock at the top of the door for me. I was so worried she would have gone down the stairs."

Leonard led her back to the bathroom. "I ran out for some milk, and left the door open a bit. She must have seen it and wandered in." Leonard opened the door and then slammed it shut. But not before giving Penny a good view of Sheldon's full monty. Leonard grimaced with embarrassment and looked down. Slowly his eyes followed the little dollops of shaving cream that trailed down the hall. Right into Sheldon's bedroom.

Horror filled him and he sped down the hall. Penny followed, her cheeks a bright pink. They rushed into Sheldon's room and Leonard slumped in defeat. Cat was sitting on the bed, smears of white foam all over the bedspread. She grinned happily, one hand clutching an Expo marker, the other holding Leonard's small light saber pen. "Leopard!"

Penny walked over and took the pen and marker from Cat's hands. "Little missy, you are in so much trouble!" she said sternly.

"Oh sweet sufferin' Jesus!" Sheldon looked in horror at his bed.

Cat laughed and clapped her hands."Oki!"

Penny looked at her sternly. "Caitlyn Beatrice Queen! You owe Sheldon a huge apology!" Cat looked up at her mommy and burst into tears. Sheldon looked appalled, Leonard noticed. Penny turned to Sheldon with a contrite expression.

"Sheldon, I am so sorry! I cannot apologize enough. I'll clean up the mess immediately!" she said gently.

Sheldon frowned at Penny. "She's crying, Penny. Comfort her!" He pushed between Penny and Leonard and knelt in front of Cat. He gingerly patted her head, careful to avoid the foamy residue. "It's alright, Cat. I'm not mad, okay?" He turned to Penny. "Accidents happen, Penny. Please do not concern yourself with a little mess."

Leonard's jaw dropped and he took off his glasses to clean them, just to make sure he was seeing what he thought he was seeing.

Cat crawled off the bed and Sheldon jumped back. She toddled over to Penny and held out her arms to be picked up. Penny lifted Cat onto her hip and bit her lip lightly. "I really am sorry, Sheldon. I'll make it up to you somehow." She turned to Leonard and thanked him before leaving the apartment quickly.

Leonard grinned at Sheldon. Sheldon looked at him questioningly. In a sing-song voice, Leonard teased. "You liiiike her!"

Sheldon twitched and glared. "I have no idea what you mean."

Leonard grinned wider. "You like Penny. You threw a fit and tried to banish my sister when she visited and my nephew spilled milk on the kitchen table. Cat drew on your walls, and got shaving cream everywhere. You pat her head and tell Penny not to worry about it."

Sheldon blushed and turned away quickly. "I have no idea what you are talking about. I just don't trust Penny to clean everything to my specifications."

Leonard thought about teasing him more, but knew that if you push Sheldon, he clams up and shuts down. He walked out of the room and headed to the bathroom. He'd have to talk to the guys and see what they thought of the situation.

* * *

Howard's expression was one of stunned disbelief. Raj just nodded knowingly. Leonard placed their orders and looked around the restaurant. They had never been here before. A restaurant for cheesecake wasn't exactly somewhere they were bound to run into Sheldon. They could talk pretty freely here without any worry of alerting Sheldon to their plans.

"So you're saying that Sheldon has a deal?" Howard said finally. "I mean, sure we teased him when she moved in, but he REALLY likes Penny?"

Leonard nodded. "He gets flustered around her. He apologized to her. He is nice to Cat, who I think he likes being around, too."

Raj nodded. "And when you guys came into Penny's apartment, he made a beeline for her."

Howard frowned, deep in thought. "You know, maybe she likes him too. At the very least, she understands him."

Leonard and Raj looked surprised. "You think so?"

Howard nodded. "Listen, all bravado aside, I know women. I've spent my life watching them. She understood about the books. Remember how she rearranged the cookies? You said she blushed when you two looked in the bathroom and he was au naturel, right? And we all saw the way that she smiled at him after he said goodnight to Cat that first day. She thinks he's attractive."

Raj nodded wisely. "So, we need to find ways to throw them together, without being obvious, and without allowing Sheldon to open his mouth and ruin it."

Leonard groaned. "Easier said than done!"

* * *

Penny looked up from the inventory she was working on as Bernadette slipped into the room. "Hey. Need me on the floor?"

Bernadette shook her head. "Your short neighbor is out there with his friends. The little Beatles one and the cute little foreign one."

Penny tilted her head. "Just them?"

Bernadette nodded with a smile. "Yep. And they're talking about you."

Penny's eyes widened. "Oh no! Not crushing, are they?"

Bernadette grinned wider. "Nope. They are plotting on how to get you and the other one, Sheldon, together because apparently, Sheldon _liiikkessss _you," she said in a singsong voice.

Penny blushed a deep red. "You're kidding!"

Bernadette shook her head and drew Penny out of the stock room and out onto the floor. They made their way over to the salad bar where they could hear the guys clearly without being seen very well.

Howard's voice floated toward them. "Well, maybe we can find some things they both like to do and get them together as a group. Let's see, Sheldon likes kite fighting and trains. What else?"

"Well, paintball, comics, and movies," Leonard said slowly. "Oh, and video games."

Raj sounded excited. "Maybe Cat likes kites! She's a kid."

Howard scoffed. "She's tiny. A kite would carry her off!"

Penny and Bernadette looked at each other in amazement. They really were planning to get her and Sheldon together. Penny walked around the corner and stood beside Raj. The guys looked at her with alarm and then embarrassment.

Penny crossed her arms and looked around the table. "You know, if you're going to plot, you might not want to do it where the person you're plotting against can hear you." The three men stuttered and blushed for a few seconds before Penny smiled. Bernadette appeared beside her and waved. Penny cleared her throat and looked innocent. "Well, since I have no interest in this conversation, I'll just go finish my work. B, isn't it time for your break?"

Bernadette smiled. "Why yes, it is."

Penny walked away serenely and Bernadette sat down in the empty chair. "Okay, listen up, because I only have 15 minutes."


	4. Chapter 4

**Penny discovers that Leonard, Howard and Raj are trying to get her and Sheldon together. She doesn't object. ;)**

Bernadette settled into her chair and leaned toward the guys. "Penny likes bowling, roller skating, and dancing. She takes Cat to the park on Raymond Avenue every weekend. Penny volunteers at the community theater every other week, usually on a Sunday, helping with costumes, or scenery. She grew up in Nebraska, so she likes fishing and she's a sports fan. Football and hockey, mostly."

Leonard looked at Bernadette carefully. "So we were right, then. Penny does like Sheldon?"

Bernadette nodded. "What she knows of him, yes. Let's see, he's scary smart, OCD, a bit shy and backwards, but a bit of backbone too. He's sweet to Cat, and seems to have a bunch of routines and regulations."

Howard snorted. "You have no idea! This is a guy who schedules his bowel movements."

Bernadette's nose wrinkled and she looked at the other two. "Really?"

Leonard hurried to reassure her. "Yes, but it's because he went to college at 11 years old. Had his first Ph.D. at 15. He's so smart that he has a hard time dealing with people. His schedules are important because it helps him maintain order in a chaotic world. It's why he is a physicist. He's had to grow up quickly."

Bernadette's eyes softened. "Oh! The poor guy! No wonder he's so fidgety! Penny and I were wondering about that."

Howard leaned forward curiously. "So why him, though? I mean, Penny is gorgeous. Why would she be interested in a scrawny, too smart for his own good, OCD maniac?"

Bernadette smiled. "Don't let Penny's looks fool you. Yes, she's beautiful, but she's even more impressive inside. I've known her ever since she moved here, so about 5 years. She and Kurt came out to make it big in the movies. She was young, star struck and a bit of a dreamer. When she got pregnant, she completely changed. Cat is the best thing that ever happened to her. There is nothing she won't do for that little girl. She grew up. Settled down."

Bernadette smiled softly. "Penny likes Sheldon because he's sweet. He didn't hesitate for even a second to put Cat at ease. Besides, Sheldon's cute in a Jimmy Stewart kind of way. Tall, lean, baby blue eyes, and he has a great smile. Penny really likes his tushy, too," she whispered. "Penny's a sucker for a nice ass."

Bernadette glanced at her watch. "Listen, Penny and I are taking Cat to Disneyland this weekend. I'll ask a couple of girlfriends to go, too, so there's even numbers. You guys come along and we'll see if we can't arrange some 'getting to know you' time for Penny and Sheldon. Okay?"

Leonard and Raj nodded eagerly. Howard leaned forward and wiggled his eyebrows. "Maybe you and I can get some alone time, too."

Bernadette smiled sweetly. "That sounds fun. We can ride the Jungle Cruise and I can see if it's possible to drown someone without getting caught." Bernadette walked off without waiting for a reply.

Leonard and Raj snickered as Howard blushed. He quickly rallied his bravado, though. "She wants me," he said with assurance.

The guys quickly paid and hurried back to work. Sheldon asked them where they had been but they just said something about answering questions for grad students and he lost interest. Sheldon had no patience for students.

* * *

Leonard was trying to convince Sheldon to go with the group to Disneyland when they heard some sort of argument in the hall. Sheldon headed across the living room.

"Leonard, I have absolutely no intention of spending my free time in that haven of germs and pestilence. It is a well-known fact that carnivals, fairs, and theme parks are neither well cleaned nor well maintained. There is nothing you can say or do to convince me to go." Sheldon opened the door, intent on chastising whoever was in the hall. Leonard looked around him curiously. Penny glanced at them but her attention went straight back to the large man in front of her.

"I don't care," the guy said harshly. "I can't be here. I have plans, Penny. You're just going to have to deal."

Penny ran a hand through her hair with frustration. Penny's voice was low but angry. "You're her dad, Kurt! You can't do this! It's her birthday! What the hell is more important than that?"

Kurt rolled his eyes. "She's only 2! She won't even notice. I'm taking Karen skiing."

Penny opened her mouth but then snapped it closed. She wrapped her arms around her waist and shook her head. "Fine. Take your little …girlfriend skiing. Getting laid is way more important than your daughter's birthday."

Kurt narrowed his eyes and leaned a bit forward. "Don't even try that. I'm a damn good dad! But I deserve a life too. You want to put your life on hold, go ahead. I spend every other weekend with her, which is more than most dads do. But I have plans. It would be different if she was 10 or 18, but she's going to be 3. She doesn't even understand what a birthday is. Look, I'm not going to argue with you anymore. I have to go. Karen's waiting." Kurt headed down the stairs without another word.

Penny covered her eyes and sighed deeply. After a second or two she looked up at Sheldon and Leonard. Her voice was soft and sad. "Sorry for the commotion," she said. She reached for the doorknob but paused when Sheldon spoke.

"Penny? Are you distressed? Can I offer you a warm beverage?"

She looked back at him and shook her head. "That's okay. Thanks."

Leonard moved up beside Sheldon. "Cat has a birthday coming up?"

Penny nodded. "It's not actually until Tuesday, but Bernadette and I are taking her to Disneyland on Saturday. Then we're having a party for her and her Gymboree group on Sunday at Pizza Castle." Penny bit her bottom lip briefly. "Um, would you like to join us? It will be lots of fun."

Sheldon cleared his throat. "Bernadette has already invited Leonard, Howard, Raj and I to join you three on Saturday."

Penny looked surprised but pleased. "Oh. She said she was going to invite some other friends of ours, but I didn't know it was you guys. So, can I count you in?"

Sheldon nodded. "We will be joining you."

Leonard wanted to shake his head in awe at how easily Penny had gotten Sheldon to agree to go to Disneyland. With a group. Instead he just smiled slightly. "Penny, should we bring anything? A present for Cat, maybe?"

Penny shook her head. "Oh, no. That's okay. It's not that kind of thing. We're just taking her to see Mickey Mouse, ride a bunch of rides, and let her dress as a princess. Sunday my sister will be in from Omaha, and it'll be family and the kids from her play group basically."

Sheldon hesitated. "Mickey Mouse, but not Goofy, right?"

Penny shook her head. "No, we'll be avoiding Goofy. He scares Cat."

Leonard smirked. "He scares Sheldon, too."

Sheldon blushed and glared at Leonard, but Penny just laughed cheerily. "Aww! That's so cute!"

Sheldon crossed his arms over his chest defensively. "It's a very valid fear. Goofy is an amalgamated character who is neither man nor dog, but a hideous combination of both."

Penny nodded. "I think it's the voice that scares Cat most. That and the hat."

Sheldon relaxed slightly and nodded. "What time should we be ready on Saturday?"

"Everyone is meeting here at 7 am. We're going to iHop for breakfast and then on to Disneyland," she said.

"How many are going?" asked Leonard. "I can help drive, if you want."

Penny started naming them all off. "Me, Cat, Bernadette, my friends Gail and Amy, you guys, Bernadette's nephew Cody and Amy's niece Kelli."

Sheldon nodded and assured her they would be on time. Penny smiled at him softly before stepping back into the apartment.

Leonard trailed along behind Sheldon as they returned to their own apartment. Sheldon was halfway to the kitchen when he suddenly stopped. He turned to look at Leonard in horror. "Leonard, did I just tell Penny we would join her and a group of strangers at Disneyland? Where there are children? And more strangers? And Goofy?"

Leonard nodded, watching his friend carefully. "Yeah. You sure did."

Sheldon frowned slightly. "Why would I do that?"

Leonard shrugged and tried to sound supportive. "Maybe because you like Penny?"

Sheldon wandered over to his spot absent-mindedly. "Penny is pleasant, I suppose," he said worriedly. "But why would that make me feel ill?"

"Ill?" Leonard walked over and sat down on the armchair. "Penny makes you ill?" Leonard was confused. Surely they hadn't been mistaken. They were sure Sheldon was attracted to Penny.

Sheldon nodded. He lightly touched his stomach. "My gastric system is churned up. I am sweating. My respirations are elevated, and my skin tingles whenever she touches me." He looked at Lenard with concern. "Also, my thought processes become muddled whenever she smiles at me. Could I be allergic to her?"

Leonard relaxed and shook his head. "No, Sheldon. You're attracted to Penny. You _like_ her. As a woman."

Sheldon jumped up in alarm, his eyes wide and panicked. "Impossible!" he exclaimed. "I'm a man of science! I have evolved beyond the need for emotions and attractions!" Sheldon scurried away to his bedroom and slammed the door.

Leonard ran a hand down his face. Well, that went well.


	5. Chapter 5

**Cat's outfit is one my own daughter once wore to preschool. She cried and threw a fit until we let her wear it. **

For three days he had avoided Penny. And his friends, for the most part. He had spent that time in serious contemplation about what he had discovered while talking to Leonard. He found Penny attractive. He had never found any woman attractive outside the purely aesthetic sense. But he was drawn to Penny. He actually _liked_ Cat. He had never liked any child before. He hadn't even liked children when he was one!

With each passing day, he was growing more and more distressed. Only three days, and he missed Penny and Cat more than he missed any of his other friends! Sheldon felt as if he was floundering. He had never been so torn before. In just under an hour, he was going to be joining a group of mostly strangers for a trip to Disneyland. He seriously considered backing out, claiming measles or maybe leprosy. He looked up from his rapidly disintegrating mini-wheats when he heard thumping in the hallway.

He set his bowl down and walked over to open the front door. He was surprised to see Penny's door open, although a gate was blocking it. Cat was sitting on the floor of the apartment, tossing a Hulk toy up in the air and letting it fall down between her legs. He watched curiously as the toy landed by her knee and she immediately slammed the toy Loki in her hand down on top of it.

"Bad 'Ulk! Do what 'Oki sayses!" she muttered as she walked the Asgardian over the green monster. Then she picked Hulk up and tossed him in the air again. Cat looked up and then grinned widely when she saw him. Sheldon couldn't help but smile in return.

She scrambled to her feet, the Hulk forgotten. She toddled over and held her arms up toward him happily. Sheldon took a moment to catalog his emotional response and then sighed. He bent and gingerly picked the little girl up. Movement in his peripheral vision made him turn to look at Penny. He knew in that instant Leonard had been absolutely correct.

"Good morning, Penny," he said softly. "I see Cat is awake. Do you need to get her ready for our trip?"

Penny smiled as she took down the gate and walked over to adjust the ruffles on Cat's tutu. Penny shook her head with a tired sigh. "She is ready, Sheldon. Unfortunately, Cat is very adamant that she is wearing this today. Sometimes she gets these wild stubborn streaks and there's no reasoning with her."

Sheldon looked critically at the sparkly purple jelly shoes, blue jeans, Wild Thornberry's shirt, tutu, princess crown, and cowboy vest combo Cat was wearing. "Well, it won't be hard to keep track of her," he murmured.

Before Penny could reply they heard the sound of laughter coming up the stairs. Sheldon was surprised by the eclectic mix of people. One woman was mousy and brunette. One was a red head with a faux-hawk and several piercing around her eyebrows and lips. The two children appeared to be about 4 or 5, both dressed in jeans and cartoon shirts. Cat wiggled slightly and held out her arms. "Amsey! Amsey! Gets me!"

The brunette smiled softly and plucked her from Sheldon's hip. He felt oddly bereft at the sudden loss. Cat grinned and placed smacking kisses on Amy's cheek. "Wuvs you!"

Amy gave her an exaggerated kiss on the forehead. "Love you too, munchkin. Are you ready to go see Mickey?"

Penny placed a hand on Sheldon's elbow lightly and gestured to the redhead. "Sheldon, these are my friends, Gail and Amy. The little princess here, is Amy's niece Kellie, and this handsome gentleman is Bernadette's nephew Cody." Penny looked around with a small frown. "Speaking of which, where is B?"

Gail smirked and pointed over her shoulder. "There's a cute little foreign guy in the lobby. She got sidetracked. There's also a little Beatles fan in skin tight purple pants. If he's not married, I call dibs."

Sheldon's eyes widened and he looked at Penny who looked just as stunned. "Really?" Penny asked in disbelief.

Gail winked at her. "You know me. I can't resist an underdog."

Sheldon's door opened wider and Leonard stepped out into the hallway. He looked at the group with varying degrees of surprise. "Um, hi. Looks like I'm a bit late."

Penny shook her head. "Nope, right on time. Well, since everyone is here, shall we get going? I'm starving."

Sheldon stepped back inside to pull on his jacket before locking the door and following the group down to the lobby. He felt conflicted once again. He wanted to spend time with Penny and Cat. He hated crowds. He liked Penny. He had spent his life avoiding the germ havens known as amusement parks. Yet here he was, willingly joining a group on their way to a place he had no interest in being.

* * *

It was crowded. The lines were horrendously long. The noise level was surely illegal. He loved it. Almost from the beginning, he had been enthralled. He couldn't remember why he had ever avoided this place before. He saw Penny smiling near the gate as he settled Cat into the teacup beside him. He buckled her in tight and settled back into his own seat. He glanced back over at Penny and frowned. A large, muscular man was leaning on the railing beside Penny, offering her a drink. Sheldon felt a surge of anxiety as Penny turned and smiled to the handsome guy.

* * *

An iced coffee appeared in front of her and she turned to find a tall guy smiling down at her.

"Hi. I'm Zack. Penny, right?" he asked as he handed her the drink.

Penny hesitated slightly and nodded. "Do I know you?" she asked as she looked nervously back toward the ride.

Zack held up his hands. "Whoa, I'm not a stalker, I promise. See the little blonde in the blue cup? That's my little girl, Sammi. I've seen you at the Cheesecake Factory. My family's company provides the menus and linens."

Penny looked back up at him with recognition. "Zack Johnson! I'm sorry. I didn't recognize you without the suit and glasses." Penny took a sip of the iced coffee and they watched the cups whirl by for a moment.

Zack cleared his throat and nodded to the ride. "So," he said casually, "your boyfriend is pretty brave to square off against giant teacups and tiny kids."

Penny looked up with a wide grin. "Fishing in Disneyland? You got a permit for that?"

Zack laughed out loud. "Can't blame a guy for trying. I know you aren't married. I asked one of the cooks."

Penny blushed and looked back at the ride. She caught a brief glance of the worry on Sheldon's face. "Nope. Not married, or dating. But only because he hasn't asked me yet. He's a bit shy." Penny smiled softly. "But I think he'll be worth the wait."

Zack sighed overdramatically. "Alas! Another broken heart!"

Penny burst out laughing and playfully bumped his hip. "You take rejection pretty well."

Zack shrugged as the ride came to an end. "Most of the women I meet aren't interested in a single dad. Especially one whose evening plans center around Candyland and ballet lessons."

Penny turned to watch Sheldon and Cat approach. She sucked in a breath as Sheldon suddenly turned green and switched direction. She cringed as he barely made it to the garbage can before he lost the ice cream sundae he had eaten with such delight earlier.

* * *

Penny was seated in the back. Cat was curled up on her car seat, sound asleep. Leonard was driving, and Sheldon sat beside him. After losing his sundae, Sheldon had become quiet and withdrawn. It didn't help that Zack and Sammi had joined the group for the rest of their visit.

He snuck another glance in the mirror at Penny. He wondered what she thought of him. He felt completely humiliated. Not only had he gotten sick in front of her, he had done so while another male made her smile and laugh. Could this day get any worse?

When they arrived at the building he trailed behind Penny as she carried Cat up the stairs. Leonard kept shooting him meaningful glances he didn't understand, so he just ignored them. When they got to the fourth floor Penny turned to him.

"Sheldon, would you unlock my door please?"

He took the key from her jacket pocket and unlocked the door. When he opened it, Penny slipped past him to lay Cat on the sofa. He held out the key, his eyes on the floor.

"Sheldon?"

He couldn't resist her soft tone and looked up. Penny smiled and leaned up on her toes. She placed a soft kiss on the corner of his mouth. His heart immediately began thumping rapidly. Penny pulled back and smiled softly up at him. "I am sorry you got sick, sweetie, but I am very glad you came with us today."

Sheldon blushed and dropped the key into her hand. He twitched slightly and hurried over to his apartment door. He paused and looked back at her. "I am very glad I went, as well. Good night, Penny."

Leonard shrugged as if to say "what can you do?" and then followed Sheldon inside. Penny closed her door and leaned against it. She licked her tingling lips and smiled wistfully. Yep, he was definitely going to be worth the wait.

* * *

Sheldon slipped on his pajamas and headed to his bedroom. He could hear Leonard snoring quietly in the other bedroom. He got into the bed and laid back before turning out the light. He closed his eyes and smiled faintly. Penny had kissed him.


	6. Chapter 5B

**These are little short blurbs about things happening behind the scenes of Shenny. (Mostly because my hubby really wanted to read more about Gail and Howard). They didn't really fit the overall story, so they're kind of like deleted scenes.  
**

"Hello!"

Howard and Raj looked back down the sidewalk and slowed to a stop. "Hello, fair maiden," Howard said to Bernadette with a smarmy leer.

She rolled her eyes at him and smiled at Raj. "Hi. Can you talk to me today?"

Raj blushed shyly and shook his head. Bernadette slipped her arm into his and looked at the others with her. ""Well, these are friends of mine and Penny's. Amy Fowler and Gail Thompson. That's Amy's niece, Kellie, and my nephew Cody. Everyone, this is Rajesh."

A small cough made Bernadette stick her tongue out at the other man. "Oh and this is Howard. He's Raj's buddy."

Howard grimaced as he watched the buxom blonde turn her attention back to his mute friend immediately. Oh well. Better to lose a hot babe to Raj than to some muscle bound ape.


	7. Chapter 6

**The trip to Disneyland was full of ups and downs. Sheldon enjoyed the rides, and hated the intrusion of Zack. However, the night ended on a high note when Penny gave him a kiss. **

Sheldon stepped into the hallway and stared at his watch. Leonard looked out the door with a frown. "Sheldon? What are you doing?"

He glanced at his roommate over his shoulder. "It's 10:58 am."

Leonard nodded knowingly and went back inside. They all knew Penny's 11 o'clock rule. Cat took a nap at 10 am every day. Anyone who knocked between 10 and 11 risked getting punched in the throat. Sheldon watched the time intently. The moment the hour changed he raised his hand.

Knock. Knock. Knock. "Penny?"

Knock. Knock. Knock. "Penny?"

Knock. Knock. Knock. "Penny?"

The door opened after a second. "Penny, it is 11."

She grinned widely. "Yes, I know. You're safe, sweetie. Come on in."

Sheldon followed Penny through the apartment to the kitchen island. She poured him a cup of tea. Then she moved the honey and a plate of cookies close. "So, what can I do for you today?"

Sheldon added 2 teaspoons of honey to his cup and stirred it slowly. "Tomorrow Leonard, Howard, Raj and I will be going to a medieval fair. I have been informed that there will be games and rides of a sort that children may find entertaining." Sheldon fiddled nervously with the spoon before looking at Penny.

Penny hid a grin behind her tea cup. "That sounds interesting."

Sheldon cleared his throat and nodded. "Yes, it should be very entertaining. I was wondering if you and Cat would be interested in attending with me." He blushed slightly and darted a glance at her. "With us, I mean. The group."

Penny set her cup down and smiled softly. "Sheldon, are you asking me on a date?"

"No! I mean, no. Not a date. A group activity. With a group." Sheldon's blush deepened.

The bedroom door opened and Cat walked out, rubbing her eyes. "I's woked up, Mommy."

Penny stood and walked over to pick up her daughter. "Hey, sweetheart. Look, we have company."

Cat peered over Penny's shoulder to Sheldon and waved. "Is my Oki!" she said happily before wiggling to be put down. She hurried over and held up her hands. "Sit on your wap!"

Sheldon gently picked her up and settled her on one knee. "Are you ever going to call me by my name? It's not Loki, it's Sheldon."

Cat giggled and snagged a cookie from the plate. "Selldon!"

Penny laughed and went to the fridge for a sippy cup of milk. "Only one cookie, little miss. You haven't eaten lunch yet."

Cat took the cup and smiled widely. "Nuggies! And roccli!"

Penny ruffled Cat's hair and nodded. "Chicken nuggets and broccoli it is, sweetheart. Sheldon, would you like anything?"

He shook his head and stood up. He set Cat down on the couch and patted her head. "No, thank you, Penny. I must return to my apartment. I have been informed by President Seibert that I am to cover two lectures for a colleague next week. I must finish my notes for the lectures." He placed his hands behind his back and looked at her. "Will you both be joining us tomorrow?"

Penny nodded. "We would love to," Penny grinned.

Sheldon nodded happily and headed to the door. He placed a hand on the handle and paused. "If I …_were_ to ask you out. On a date, that is," he looked shyly at her, "would you say yes?"

Penny walked over and stopped a few inches away. She leaned up and placed a kiss on his lips very lightly. 'I suggest you ask me sometime, and find out."

Sheldon blushed again and opened the door. He stepped out into the hall and took a deep breath. "Bye, Penny." He shut the door and hurried across to his own apartment. He nodded vaguely to Leonard and continued on to his room. Once inside he shut the door and leaned against it.

He touched the tingling skin of his bottom lip and smiled again. A second kiss, even nicer than the first! What on earth was happening to him?!

* * *

Leonard grabbed Howard and Raj's arms as the group walked along the grounds. He smirked and pulled them back a few feet. The guys watched Sheldon and Cat with a mix of amusement and awe. Penny noticed and dropped back to walk alongside Raj.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

Howard shook his head. "You know, we always joked that Sheldon was a robot. He was always so detached, kind of unemotional. But seeing him with Cat, and you? It's like he's an entirely different guy."

Leonard nodded. "It's nice. He's still Sheldon, you know. All kinds of neurotic and crazy, but now he's …I don't know, happier, I guess."

Penny blushed and smiled softly. "You think so?" She watched Sheldon point out a booth to Cat. She thought Sheldon was a tiny bit interested in her, but she hadn't been sure if it was just because she had been so obvious in her attraction, or if he really did like her.

Leonard nodded. "What about you? How do you feel about him?"

Penny sighed softly. "He's like no one I've ever met before. It's not just how smart he is, or how sweet. It's everything. He's got this way of looking at me that makes me feel like I'm the only person in the room. He's so kind to Cat, and she adores him. I don't know what's going to happen here, but I really want to see where it goes."

Raj whispered into Howard's ear and he nodded before looking at Penny. "Just don't hurt him, okay? He's one of the smartest guys on the planet. But he's still a baby emotionally."

Penny wrapped her arms around her waist absent-mindedly. "I think there's a greater possibility that he'll break my heart," she mumbled.

The guys watched Penny walk forward and join Sheldon and Cat at the lemonade cart. Leonard looked at his two friends worriedly. "I think Penny's already in love with Sheldon. I hope he doesn't mess this up."

Howard shook his head. "It's Sheldon. We better think up a plan to fix things when he does something Sheldon-y."

* * *

Sheldon buttoned up his flannel pajama top and looked at the stuffed dragon that sat at the foot of his bed. Penny had won it in the softball toss game. When the barker had handed it over, he had thought she would give it to Cat. She had surprised him by handing it to him with a wide smile.

"_Thank you for inviting us, Sheldon. I hope that every time you look at the dragon, you remember how much fun today was for me and Cat."_

He sat down and picked up the dragon. She had kissed him again. In front of their friends. She hadn't been embarrassed, or nervous, or anything. She just kissed him as if it was the most natural thing in the world to do.

"Hey, buddy. You okay?"

Sheldon looked at Leonard with confusion. "Leonard, I have a question. As you know, I am a novice when it comes to social convention. I rarely understand the reasons people do the things they do."

Leonard stepped into the bedroom and leaned against the dresser. "Penny kissed you to show that she likes you."

"Why?" he asked nervously. "I do not understand. Penny is beautiful, sociable, and popular. It is my understanding that women like her do not tend to be interested in guys like us."

Leonard grinned and shrugged. "Says who? Why can't she be interested in a guy like us? We're smart, have good steady jobs, and we're not exactly hideous to look at."

"Leonard, I don't know what to do about this. She makes me confused. I find myself making excuses to speak to her." Sheldon sighed and set the dragon on his bedside table. "I have always thought I was above such things. I have dedicated my life to science. I have goals I want to achieve. I truly believe I am destined to win a Nobel Prize."

Leonard knew how determined Sheldon was to fulfill that goal. He sighed softly and looked at his friend. "Sheldon, let me ask you a question. Which would you rather do? Be with Penny, or be alone? Because I'm fairly certain you'll win your Nobel either way."

Sheldon looked so conflicted. "I don't know," he admitted.

Leonard pushed off the wall and gave Sheldon a serious look. "Then you need to figure that out before either of you get any deeper. Because I really do think Penny cares about you, buddy."

Leonard left and Sheldon turned off his light. He laid back in his bed and stared at the ceiling. What was the right thing to do? He was fond of Cat. He liked being around Penny. His days seemed brighter when Penny was around. He very much feared he was already in too deep. Could he commit to two separate goals? Could he divide his time between the pursuit of a Nobel and the pursuit of Penny without neglecting either? He finally fell asleep, no closer to an answer than when he began.


	8. Chapter 7

**Sheldon is conflicted about what to do about his growing attraction to Penny. **

Sheldon was staring at his whiteboard when there was a soft knock on his office door. He ignored it, since he wasn't expecting anyone. He was too engrossed in his latest theory to be bothered by pedantic minds who didn't have the courtesy to make an appointment. He studied the math for a few seconds more before adding a few symbols to the board. The door behind him opened and he turned to berate the rude individual.

Sheldon blinked twice before setting down his marker. "Missy? What are you doing here?"

"Can't a sister visit her brother without there being some sort of motive?" the brunette asked as she moved around the desk and held out her arms. She smiled and flapped her hands a bit. "Come on, Shelly."

Sheldon rolled his eyes and hugged her briefly. He knew from experience that she could (and would) stand like that for up to an hour if need be. He pulled away and pointed her toward a chair, before sitting down at his desk. "You did not travel from Galveston to Pasadena just to say hello. Mom sent you to check up on me."

Missy smiled unabashedly. "Of course she did. I'm going to visit Carrie in Burbank for her engagement party and Mom said to stop by and see how you were."

"You may inform Mom that I am 165 pounds and I am having regular bowel movements." He stood and headed for the door. "Have a good time at Carrie's."

Missy huffed and stood. She knew from experience that when Sheldon was done talking, there was no sense trying to continue the conversation. Sheldon opened the door just as Penny raised her hand to knock. Missy was stunned to see her brother stiffen and then relax. A soft smile tugged at the corners of his mouth and he seemed to completely forget she was even there.

"Hello, Penny. This is a surprise," he said.

Missy watched the blonde smile at her brother in the same soft way. "Hi, sweetie. A package was delivered for you this morning. I signed for it and thought I would drop it off on my way to work." She held out the box and he took it from her and placed it on the desk. Missy was surprised when the newcomer looked at her and jealousy flashed across her eyes.

Penny blushed slightly and looked away. "Oh, I didn't realize you have company. Sorry to interrupt," she said in a blank voice.

Shelly looked at the woman with worry at her sudden change in tone. "Penny? Is something wrong?"

Penny shook her head and stepped out into the hall. "No. I …I'm running a bit late. I better go."

Missy stepped up beside her brother and threw an arm around his waist mischievously. She smiled at Penny with amusement. "Shelly, aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?"

Sheldon nodded quickly. "Penny, this is my sister, Melissa Cooper. Missy, this is my friend and neighbor, Penny."

Missy smiled even wider when understanding dawned on Penny. She held out her hand to Penny and they shook briefly. "Shelly, you didn't tell me you had a new friend. Maybe there's hope for you yet," she teased. "You keep this up and you'll become quite the social butterfly, instead of the anti-social caterpillar."

Sheldon turned red and looked away from Penny in embarrassment. Neither he nor Missy expected Penny's next remarks.

"Maybe it's none of my business, but that's not a very nice thing to say," she said softly. The siblings looked at Penny with surprise. She was staring at Missy with disapproval. "Sheldon has been very kind to me. He's a wonderful friend. It's one thing to tease your brother. It's another to deliberately try to embarrass him in front of a stranger."

Penny turned to Sheldon and smiled gently. "I really need to get going or I'll be late. I'll see you later, okay?"

Sheldon nodded and watched Penny step out of his office. Suddenly he took three long strides. "Penny?" She turned back to face him and he blushed slightly. He clenched his hands together and fidgeted nervously. After four seconds to gather his courage he swiftly bent and kissed Penny's cheek. His blush deepened and he looked down at the floor. "Be careful driving to work."

Penny smiled widely and nodded. "Okay, sweetie," she said tenderly. "I'll talk to you later."

Sheldon watched her walk away, her hips swaying slightly. Once she rounded a corner and disappeared from sight he turned back to find Missy watching him with her mouth open. He cleared his throat nervously. "So. That was my friend Penny."

"You kissed her," Missy said in a hushed whisper. "Sweet Jesus, you actually kissed her."

Sheldon cleared his throat as he stepped around his sibling into his office. "Well, it is almost lunch time. Will you be heading to Burbank now?"

Missy gaped at him for a couple more seconds. Finally she shook off her shock. "Shelly, if you think I'm leaving without any answers, you're not nearly as smart as you think."

* * *

Sheldon typed up his equations while Howard, Raj and Leonard kept Missy occupied. Ever since lunch, they had kept close by, asking her about her life, and flirting. He didn't mind since it was keeping her from questioning him about Penny. He couldn't believe he had had the nerve to kiss Penny. She hadn't objected either! Did this make them a couple now? If not, what were they? If so, what would she expect from him? Good grief this relationship stuff was complicated!

Sheldon was just saving his work when he heard a giggle in the hallway. He frowned and looked at his front door. It sounded like Cat, but she was at the babysitter's, wasn't she? He stood when the sound of knocking drifted toward him. He walked over and opened the door carefully.

"Oki!" Cat called out, as she began to wiggle in the teenager's arms. The girl turned and set Cat down and she toddled over to Sheldon who instinctively picked her up. The teen's eyes were red and she had obviously been crying.

"Do you know where Ms. Queen is? I can't remember where she works, and my phone is dead. I'm Tina, her babysitter."

Sheldon nodded. "She is at the Cheesecake Factory. Is something wrong?" he asked hesitantly.

"My dad's been in an accident. I have to go to the hospital and I don't think I should take Caitlyn there. I guess I better, though, since she's not home." The girl took a shuddering breath and more tears filled her eyes. "I don't know what to do!"

Sheldon looked at Cat and then the teen. He pulled out his phone and called Penny's cell. After three rings she answered.

"Sheldon? Is something wrong?" she asked worriedly. "You never call me at work."

"Penny, your babysitter has a family emergency. She is here with Cat."

"Oh crap!" Penny muttered under her breath. "Can you put her on so I can talk to her?"

Sheldon handed his phone to the teen and stepped into the apartment. He carried Cat over to the coffee table and sat her down. He pulled a juice box from the fridge and popped the straw into it. He turned to get a pack of cheese crackers and when he turned back, Missy was standing beside him.

"Who is this?" she asked in astonishment.

Cat took the juice box and crackers before hopping down and moving over to crawl up into Sheldon's spot. Sheldon sighed and moved to the couch. He picked Cat up and sat down before settling her in his lap. She laid her head on his chest and yawned widely. "This is Caitlyn, Penny's daughter."

Leonard grinned and pulled the afghan off the chair behind him. He laid it over Cat and ruffled her curls. "She's 3 now. We helped her celebrate her birthday last month. She adores Sheldon."

"What's an 'okey'?" Missy asked curiously.

"Loki," Howard corrected. "He's a comic character that Cat loves. She thinks Sheldon looks like him."

Leonard nodded. "He kind of does."

Sheldon sighed and took the juice box from Cat's limp hand. "I am beginning to believe that she will never learn to call me by my real name."

The teen stepped into the apartment and held out the phone to Sheldon. "Ms. Queen wants to speak to you," she said sadly.

Sheldon took the phone and placed it to his ear. "Penny?"

"Sheldon, I am so sorry to do this, but I'm in a real bind. I don't know who else to ask. Gail is out of town, Bernadette and Amy are working…"

Sheldon cradled Cat with one arm and cleared his throat. "Penny, Cat is perfectly safe here. I will watch over her until you return from work."

"Are you sure?" she asked softly.

Sheldon nodded. "Penny, if I did not want to, I would not offer. Leonard, Howard and Raj are here as well. Also, my sister is still visiting. Cat is almost asleep as it is. I will put her down for a nap, and if she wakes up, we will order a pizza."

"I owe you big time," Penny promised. "You're my hero."

Sheldon blushed and looked away from his friends. "We will see you when you return from work," he answered. Penny said goodbye and he hung up.

Leonard stood and headed back to his room. "I'll fix up my bed for her. Make some side rails with pillows so she won't roll off."

Sheldon stood and shook his head. "I will put her in mine. My bed is larger and lower to the ground. She is less likely to injure herself if she does manage to roll off."

The others watched him carry Cat down the hall. Missy looked at the three men with stunned disbelief. "Shelly's never allowed anyone in his room before."

Leonard waved her to the couch and sat down beside her. "When it comes to Cat or Penny, you'll find the old rules no longer apply."

"Wow," Missy breathed softly. The guys nodded and grinned.


	9. Chapter 7B

**Another little blurb. Enjoy!**

Howard was just bending over to grab his soda from the machine when he felt a hand brush across his ass. He jumped from the suddenness of it and spun around. Penny smiled at him wryly from behind her friend Gail. Gail, meanwhile, was grinning widely.

"Hey there, cutie pie. Long time no see," Gail said with a smirk.

Howard looked at them curiously, the pat on his bottom not forgotten, but shoved aside for the moment. "Hey. What are you two doing here?"

Penny indicated a package in her left hand. "Something was delivered for Sheldon earlier and I thought I would drop it off on my way to work. Can you tell us where his office is?"

Gail looked him up and down. "Or you could just tell her, and then take me on a tour."

Howard looked at Gail carefully. He wasn't used to women coming on to him. The piercing were a bit weird, but in truth, she was very pretty. And interested in him. He only hesitated a second.

"Sheldon's office is second corridor on the right, fourth door on the left. Knock first. He hates interruptions. Come, my mohawked beauty. Have you ever driven a car on Mars?"

Gail grinned at him and waved Penny ahead. "No, but I'm _very_ interested in having you teach me." She placed a hand on his chest softly. "I learn best with a hands on approach."

Howard looked at her with awe. "I think I love you," he muttered.


	10. Chapter 8

**Sheldon's sister has popped in for a visit, unexpectedly. Will she help or hinder the budding romance between her brother and Penny?**

Sheldon looked up from his laptop when he heard Penny's footsteps on the stairs. He stood and walked to the door, getting there just as Penny knocked. He opened the door, his pulse rate increasing slightly. Penny smiled up at him tiredly.

"Hey, sweetie. Have I mentioned lately that you're my hero?" she asked before yawning.

Sheldon smiled and nodded. "You expressed that very opinion just three hours ago."

Penny moved into the apartment and nodded to Leonard and Missy. She looked back at Sheldon as he closed the door. "So, how was Cat? Did she go to sleep?"

He nodded and led her back toward the bedrooms. "Not long after I spoke to you. I put her to bed and she's been asleep ever since."

Penny stepped into his room after him and smiled at the way Cat was curled up under his blanket. She turned and slipped her arms around his waist for a quick hug. "Thank you," she whispered.

Sheldon wrapped his arms around her back before she could pull away. He hesitated, uncertain of what to do next. Penny made the next move for him. She leaned up and kissed him lightly on the lips.

She started to pull away, but his arms tightened and he dipped his head to follow her down. He continued the kiss, drinking in the taste of her lips. Penny's hands slid up his back to cling to his shoulders and he pulled her closer, removing any space between them.

Sheldon's mind was chaotic. The right side of his brain was screaming about germs. The left side was screaming about how good she felt, how sweet she tasted, how utterly _right _this felt. His whole brain agreed, though, he wasn't happy when she pulled away.

They stared at each other for a few seconds, their breathing labored. Sheldon twitched nervously, struggling for control. Penny reached up carefully and cupped his cheek with one hand.

"Sheldon? Are you okay?" she asked worriedly. "I'm sorry, sweetie. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

Sheldon took a deep breath and looked down at her. He stared into her concerned eyes and shyly smiled. "Penny, may I kiss you again?"

She opened her mouth but snapped it shut a heartbeat later when they heard a knock on the bedroom door. Penny stepped back as it opened. Missy peeked around the edge and smiled at them.

"Hey. I thought I'd say goodnight right quick. Leonard said I could crash in his bed and he'd spend the night on the couch." Missy looked back and forth between Penny and Sheldon with a smirk.

Sheldon blushed and looked away from his sister. Penny sighed and turned to pick up Cat. "I better get her to bed," she said softly.

Sheldon took Cat from Penny's arms gently. "I will carry her for you," he offered. Penny gave Missy a slight nod and then led the way back through the apartment. Leonard waved from the kitchen where he was putting trash in the garbage can. They walked across the hall and Penny opened the door. Sheldon carried Cat back to the bedroom and laid her down. He returned to the living room and watched Penny pull off her sweater from work. Her back was turned to him, and she reached up to release her ponytail.

He didn't really think about what he did next. He just sort of …did it. He reached up and ran his fingers through the locks, fluffing them out. Penny moaned as her head dropped back and her shoulders relaxed. That sound released something inside him. He moved in closer and pressed a soft kiss under her ear like he had seen in the old classic movies his Meemaw liked so much.

Penny turned around and looked up at him with heat in her eyes. "What happened to the guy who had a germ phobia?"

He shook his head slightly. "I …I don't know. Penny, this is very confusing to me. I should have run screaming the very first time you kissed me," he said softly. "I should have tried to banish you from my life the moment you touched me. But I didn't. I not only let you keep coming around, but I actually sought you out. I keep seeking you out. No matter how worried I get, or how uncomfortable these feelings make me, I keep seeking you out."

Sheldon ran a hand through his hair in agitation. "I kissed you, Penny. Me! _I_ kissed _you_! I have never willingly kissed anyone ever before. I even hesitate to kiss my Meemaw's cheek, and I love her dearly. But I am standing here, right this very minute, desperately wanting to kiss you again." He looked down into her face and reached up to gently draw the back of his knuckles along her cheekbone. "Please, Penny," he whispered. "Tell me what to do."

She reached up and took his hand in hers. "Kiss me again," she said softly. He drew her closer and did as she said.

* * *

He walked into the apartment and found Leonard and Missy sitting at the kitchen table sipping tea. "Why are you both still awake? I was under the impression that you both intended to retire for the night."

Missy snorted with amusement. "Shelly, did you really think I wasn't going to want to hear what went on next door for the last…" she looked at her wrist watch pointedly, "thirty-two minutes?"

Sheldon blushed a deep red and his eyes narrowed. "And how would you feel if your boyfriend told his friends and family what the two of you did when you were alone?"

She glared at him, unwilling to admit he had a point. "This is different! It's you! You have never dated in your life! You can't expect us to just ignore that, Shelly. So, come on. You don't have to give us details, but we want to know what the deal is between you and Penny."

Leonard stood and put his hands in his robe pockets. "Sheldon, I just want to know that you are okay. That you and Penny are both okay."

Sheldon looked over his shoulder at the front door and sighed softly. "Penny and I spoke about the possibility of us entering a relationship. We have agreed that we both want to explore the attraction that we feel for each other. We are going to move slowly. There are many things to contemplate and other persons to take into consideration."

"Like who?" Missy asked with confusion. "Penny _is_ single, right?"

Sheldon nodded and turned back to face them. "Yes, of course she is. She is also a single mother. She has a child to take into consideration. I have my work, which I have always dedicated my life to. Neither of us is sure what the repercussions would be if we were to fail."

Missy opened her mouth to tell him that sometimes you should just cut loose and have fun but Leonard spoke first.

"Sheldon, you're right. That's a lot to think about. Look, Howard, Raj and I think you and Penny are good for each other. But it's not our call. It's between you and Penny. But if we can help, all you have to do is say so."

Sheldon looked surprised for a moment, but then he nodded. "Thank you, Leonard." Sheldon headed back to his bedroom slowly, clearly lost in thought. Missy looked at Leonard curiously.

"There's more to this than just Shelly dating, isn't there?" she asked.

Leonard shrugged. "You know how Sheldon is. He rarely notices anything that doesn't involve superheroes, video games or physics. He's got more schedules and routines than an army. He's chock full of phobias and OCD," Leonard said. Missy nodded, knowing full well how strange her brother could be.

Leonard looked at the front door as if he could see through it. "But when it comes to those two? All bets are off. He's different with them. He still has those fears and quirks, but they don't seem to matter as much. Penny knows all about his OCD tendencies, and she actually works with them. She does what she can to make sure he's at ease, without babying him." Leonard looked back at Missy and shrugged. "Penny gets him. She understands him, and she accepts him just as he is."

Missy smiled softly and looked at the half empty juice box on the counter. "I think maybe I'll stick around a couple of days, if that's okay. Maybe get to know your neighbor a little better."

Leonard nodded and headed to the bathroom. "You're welcome to stay a long as you like." Leonard paused halfway down the hall and turned back. "Look, I know he's your brother and all, but don't interfere, okay? This is too important."

Missy watched Leonard walk away and smiled softly. Her brother was always an oddball growing up. Never fitting in, never making friends. She had resigned herself years ago to him spending his life alone. Didn't mean she didn't worry about him, but that was just the way it was.

To see him not only have friends, but to have close friends who worried about him? That made her happy. To see the tender way Penny looked at her brother, the gentleness in the way he took care of Cat, Missy wanted to jump up and do a dance. She turned off the kitchen light and headed back to the bedrooms. "I wonder if Penny likes roller skating," she murmured to herself.


	11. Chapter 9

**Sheldon and Penny share a few more kisses and admit their attraction for each other. Does this budding romance stand a chance?**

Penny was sitting on a chair at the kitchen table with Amy when Sheldon knocked. She looked over at him standing in the doorway, looking sheepish as he performed his triple taps, called her name and then repeated twice more. When he finished Penny laughed gently and shook her head.

"I'm not sure what I like most, the fact that you actually _have _a signature knock, or that you use it even when you can see me sitting here." She waved him over, and nodded to Missy and Leonard. "Ames, you remember Sheldon and Leonard. This is Sheldon's sister Missy."

Amy nodded to them and walked over to the fridge for some sodas. "Penny, maybe Sheldon can help," she said with a bit too much innocence.

Penny blushed and shot Amy a look that promised retaliation. "Thank you, Amy. I'm sure Sheldon has no interest in this."

Sheldon walked closer and looked at the calendar laid out on the counter. "Penny, are you in need of assistance? If I can be of help…"

"We're trying to work up a babysitting schedule for Cat," Amy said before Penny could speak. "Tina's dad has a broken hip and shoulder. There's no way a 17 yr old can keep an eye on a 3 yr old as wily as Cat when she has to help take care of her dad, too. I mostly work days, but I have every Sunday and Wednesday off and most evenings free. Bernadette is in school three days a week, and works evenings four days. She can keep Cat on Tuesdays and Fridays. However, Penny always works Saturdays because it's delivery day and none of us can keep Cat then. Kurt will be taking her to North Carolina next month for two weeks, but every Saturday besides those two are hard to cover."

Sheldon shrugged casually. "If you have no objection, I can watch her. I realize that you may have misgivings about allowing a man to watch your daughter…"

Penny shook her head quickly. "No, Sheldon. I know I can trust you. Honestly, I do. It's just," she sighed heavily, "I don't want you to think I'm taking advantage." Penny blushed lightly. "You know, of what we discussed. I don't want you to think I'm using you."

Sheldon blushed and looked down at the floor. "Penny, I do not think that. I do not know a great deal about children, but I enjoy Cat's presence. I propose we try it for two Saturdays. Then, if either of us wished to discontinue, we may do so without hard feelings."

Penny stood and touched his cheek. "Sheldon, I'm going to hug you, okay?" His blush deepened but he spread his arms. He gathered Penny close and tried not to grimace as he noticed the smiles on their friend's faces. "Thank you," she whispered.

* * *

Sheldon fluttered around the apartment like a hummingbird. Leonard and Missy waved Howard and Raj out of the doorway and over to the corner window where they stood. All four watched as he grabbed some action figures off the bookshelf and then rushed them back to his room. He returned almost instantly with some different figures. He placed these on the coffee table and then rushed to the kitchen.

"One, two, three, four," he muttered to himself. He stood up and frowned. "Four juice boxes may not be enough." He headed back down the hallway. "Leonard! Leonard, we have to run to the store!"

Leonard shook his head with amusement. "Sheldon, I'm over here."

Sheldon hurried back out of the hallway. "Leonard, Cat will be here tomorrow. We only have four juice boxes, two packs of crackers with peanut butter, a quarter gallon of milk, and a box of mac-and-cheese. I do not believe a three year old would eat leftover me-krob, bean soup, or cajun turkey lunch meat. We need groceries."

Missy cleared her throat. "Shelly? Do you even know what a three year old eats?"

Sheldon gave her a condescending look. "Cat likes chicken nuggets, broccoli spears, spaghetti o's, cheese pizza, Vienna sausages, strawberry pop-tarts, blueberries, bananas, bacon, tator tots but not French fries," Sheldon frowned slightly. "I think it's because tater tots are round. She also likes green beans, gummy bears, chicken and stars soup, meatloaf without peppers, mashed…"

Missy held up her hands. "Okay! Okay, I get it. Come on, I'll take you in my rental. We can get a few other things, as well."

Sheldon picked his jacket up from his chair. "What other things?"

Missy smirked at him. "Age appropriate toys, for one. And we'll rent a few kid movies. None of that weird science-y, space-y stuff you guys watch."

The others watched the two siblings head out of the apartment, Sheldon muttering under his breath that there was nothing wrong with sci-fi. They moved back into the middle of the apartment and sat down to watch some tv.

After about ten minutes Howard leaned forward and picked up a life-size light saber Sheldon had placed on the coffee table. He looked over at Leonard and Raj. "What's not age appropriate about this?"

Leonard and Raj shrugged their shoulders and continued to watch Farscape.

* * *

Sheldon opened the door with a smile on Saturday. Cat lurched forward out of Penny's arms and Sheldon pulled her onto his hip. She started sucking on her fingers with a wet grin. Penny smiled at him and walked around him to place a diaper bag and blanket on the couch. She waved hello to Missy and gave Leonard, Howard and Raj smiles.

"She ate lunch just a little bit ago. I've got pull-ups on her, but we're working on potty training, so if she says she has to 'make rain', that's what she means. If you need anything at all, here's my spare key," Penny said holding out a small Hello Kitty keychain. Sheldon set Cat down and took it from her with surprise.

"You trust me with your spare?" he asked with surprise. "How do you know this isn't an elaborate ruse to rob you?" His voice dropped to an embarrassed whisper and he leaned closer. "Or sneak into your bedroom and assault you?"

Penny smiled up at him and placed a hand on his chest. "I doubt you have ever stolen a thing in your life, Sheldon." Her eyes twinkled mischievously. "But you're welcome to sneak into my room, if you like."

Sheldon turned a bright read and his jaw dropped. Penny reached up and placed her hand behind his neck. He bent willingly enough, though, and she kissed him chastely on the lips.

"I'll be back around 10pm, okay?"

Sheldon nodded and held the door open for her. She waved bye to everyone and headed down the stairs. Sheldon shut the door and turned to find their friends all watching him with smug smiles. He opened his mouth to shush them before they could get started but the only thing that came out was a faint squeak as he saw Cat, marker in hand, heading toward the bedrooms.

* * *

Penny stood in the doorway to 4A and silently wished herself somewhere, _any_where, else. Sheldon was NEVER going to forgive her for this. There were crayon marks on the floor, sink cabinets, and fridge. Papers were strewn everywhere. What looked like half-chewed gummy bears were all over the coffee table. Action figures lay in a pool of spilled apple juice. Sheldon was laying on the couch, asleep, Cat draped across his chest. Leonard and Howard were seated on the floor, their heads on the coffee table as they snored. Missy was draped over the arm of the recliner, drooling slightly. Raj was curled up on the area rug, head on a bundled up hoodie he was using as a pillow. The main menu for The Lion King was on the tv.

With a sigh Penny placed her purse and jacket on Leonard's desk. She pulled her yellow sweater off and rolled up the sleeves of her shirt.

* * *

Sheldon slowly opened his eyes and stretched his arms. He blinked a few times and sat up. He looked around the apartment with surprise. He didn't see Cat anywhere so he jumped up with alarm. A piece of paper fluttered to the ground and he picked it up with a frown.

_Dear Sheldon,_

_I didn't have the heart to wake you up. You all looked so exhausted. I tidied up a bit and now I'm going to take Cat home and put her to bed. You did a marvelous job keeping an eye on her for me. I can't thank you enough._

_Yours, Penny _

Sheldon smiled softly and looked around the apartment more closely. Penny had cleaned up the spills and wiped the marks off the walls, cabinets and fridge. He picked up the toys Penny had stacked on Leonard's desk and placed them in the small toy box behind the couch he had purchased for Cat. He walked to the kitchen and began washing the dishes Penny had stacked in the sink. She must have remembered that he couldn't stand for anyone but himself to wash them. When he finished, he glanced at the clock. It was just past midnight. He wondered if he should wake his friends and send them home, but decided to leave them be. He headed toward the hall, stopping just long enough to place a towel under Missy's mouth. Then he crawled into bed and closed his eyes. It truly had been an enjoyable day.


	12. Chapter 9B

**Another short, this time about Sheldon babysitting.**

Sheldon blew air out of his lungs heavily, in an effort to steady his nerves. How on earth did Penny do it? He was sweating, actually _sweating_, after only two hours. He looked over to where Missy was feeding Cat some applesauce. He wasn't sure that was such a good idea. Didn't applesauce have sugar in it? The last thing Cat needed was sugar! Or caffeine. Or a nap. Or anything that gave her more energy.

He grabbed one of the DVDs that Missy had picked out and put it on. He had no idea what Lazy Town was, but he hoped the title was apropos. Anything that slowed Cat down was a godsend in his mind.

* * *

Lazy Town was a curse from the devil, he decided 97 minutes later. Cat clapped loudly and cheered. "Ha ha ha! More, Oki! Do 'gain!"

"Yes, Loki," Missy smirked from the couch. "Do it again."

Leonard, traitor that he is, restarted the end credits and the accursed song began once more. Cat grabbed his hands and made him dance around the floor with her one more time.

** "Welcome to lazy town, a place where you want to stay. You'll meet Robbie and his rotten plan, and Sportacus saving the day." **

He spun Cat in a circle, and she laughed so sweetly, that he couldn't help smiling or picking her up into his arms to spin with her.

"More, Oki!" she laughed. "Pwease?"

Okay, so maybe this wasn't _too_ awful.


	13. Chapter 10

**Sheldon's first attempt at babysitting is over. Kurt has picked Cat up for his normal two-week summer vacation, so Sheldon has a bit of time to recover before he has to do it again.**

Penny snuggled closer to Sheldon as the credits began scrolling up the screen. "I used to want to be in movies," she said calmly.

Sheldon looked down at her curiously. "Why on earth would you think that would be a viable career?"

Penny frowned slightly. "Hey. I would have been a great actress. But when I got pregnant, I gave it up. I had to think of what was best for Cat. Instead I took a few management courses at the city college and applied for assistant manager as soon as it came available."

Sheldon shrugged. "I still do not see the appeal of acting. Most are a bunch of hippie-dippie types."

Penny pulled away. "You're kidding, right?"

Amy sighed and moved to the kitchen, Bernadette, Leonard and Raj following. They could all see the temper rising in Penny. All except Sheldon, it seemed.

Sheldon nodded superiorly. "Acting is a frivolous pursuit. You are much better suited to your current profession."

Penny placed her hands on her hips. "Says the man with 11 different Halloween costumes in his closet. What are those for, Sheldon? In case you run out of clean clothes? In case of a fire and everything EXCEPT those polyester nightmares are consumed?"

Sheldon rose quickly and towered over her. "Those are not Halloween costumes! They are cos-play uniforms!"

"Po-tay-to, po-tah-to," Penny responded, jumping to her feet and crossing her arms.

Sheldon glared at her ominously. "There is a big difference between cos-play and acting," he sneered.

Penny nodded. "You're right," she said calmly. Sheldon smirked at her agreement and relaxed. Then Penny smiled grimly. "Acting is a profession. Cos-play is a hobby." Penny spun and stormed over to the door. "A childish one, at that!"

"That's a strike," Sheldon gasped out angrily. Penny froze and looked back at him.

"A what?" she hissed.

Sheldon looked down his nose at her. "A strike. A punishable offense. Three strikes and you're out." He shrugged his shoulders. "It's a baseball metaphor."

Penny turned back to him. "Let me get this straight, _you_ insult _me_, and _I _get punished for it?"

Sheldon nodded. "You brought it on yourself. Maybe next time, you will think before you speak."

"Oh dear lord, have mercy on us all," Amy said before hiding behind Leonard.

"You're right," Penny said silkily. "I really _should_ think before I speak. So let me be perfectly clear, as I say exactly what I am thinking." Sheldon quirked one eyebrow at her and waited. Penny's lips drew back in a parody of a smile. "Bite me, you ignorant blowhard."

Then Penny spun and stormed out of the apartment, slamming the door behind her. Sheldon gasped and rushed to reopen the door. "Ignorant?! Strike two!" He bellowed across the hall.

"Screw you, you asshat!" Penny yelled back.

Sheldon shook angrily and clenched his fisted. "That's it! You're banished until you can learn some manners!" He slammed the door and stalked toward his room. The door burst open and he looked back just as Penny threw her throw pillow at him and hit him in the face.

"Strike one," she smirked. "Now, there's a _real_ baseball metaphor for you!"

She slammed the door behind her as she left again. Sheldon spun and looked at Leonard. "That woman is impossible!" He stormed back to his room, kicking the throw pillow out of his way roughly.

Silence reigned for several minutes before Amy whimpered again. Bernadette nodded and hugged her with one arm. "Almost Armageddon," she muttered.

Leonard looked at the two women nervously. "Penny was just mad, right? They'll make up soon."

Bernadette sighed. "You guys have never seen Penny when she's mad."

Leonard nodded. "Yeah, the day you guys were unpacking."

Bernadette shook her head. "That was just peeved. This was just upset. The last time Penny lost her temper…"

Amy looked at the guys. "Let's just say litigation was involved."

"Litigation?" Raj wrote on a piece of paper.

"As far as we know, those two mall cops still have a restraining order on her," Amy said.

"Let's just hope that they both cool off and move on," Amy said.

Leonard groaned. "Sheldon Cooper let something go? We'd have better luck holding back the tides."

All four looked at each other with resignation. Now what?

* * *

Penny paced her living room furiously. Bernadette and Amy watched from the kitchen island as she muttered threats of violence. Amy turned when the tea kettle whistled and began making tea. Bernadette walked over and pulled Penny down onto the couch beside her.

"Okay, talk to us. What made you blow up like that?" she asked.

Penny tried to glare at her, but then burst into tears. Bernadette put her arms around Penny and Amy sat down on the other side to do the same. The two women looked at each other over Penny's head, worriedly. For several minutes the only sound in the room was Penny's soft cries.

"Kurt wants custody," she murmured once she was calmer. "He says he and Karen are getting married and moving to Colorado. His lawyer says that since I'm just a single mom with a menial labor job, he has a good shot at getting custody."

Amy shook her head fervently. "Well, he's not getting it!" she declared. "It's his mom, isn't it? She wanted him to fight for full custody before, too."

"Gloria loves Cat," Penny mumbled.

Bernadette snorted. "No. Gloria loves pageants. She always pushed you to enter Cat in those things." She held up her hand to silence Penny. "Yes, I know, they aren't all bad, but Gloria spent 10 years forcing Kurt's sister into them, and she hated it. Cat would too. She's a tomboy."

"What am I going to do?" Penny asked mournfully.

* * *

Sheldon lowered his hand and looked at Penny's door with stunned disbelief. Kurt get custody? That would destroy Penny! He turned and walked back into his apartment and shut the door.

Leonard looked at him from the couch. "That was too quick. You didn't apologize, did you?"

Sheldon looked at Raj. "You're sister is a lawyer, right?"

Raj 'eeped' and backed up a step. "You aren't thinking of suing Penny because she threw a pillow, are you?"

Sheldon glared at him for a second. "Call her. Ask her if she would be willing to take on a custody case. I'll pay her fees."

Leonard stood warily. "Sheldon? What's going on?"

He looked over at his roommate. "Penny's ex has indicated he wants custody of Cat. I'm not about to let that happen."

Leonard and Raj looked at each other with immediate determination. "Raj, call Priya."

* * *

Two days passed without a word from Sheldon. Penny knew she had over-reacted, but she just didn't have the will to go speak to him. She felt as if her world was falling apart, and it was all she could do to drag herself to work.

She was curled up under a blanket on her couch on Thursday when someone knocked sharply on the door. It wasn't a pattern, so she sighed sadly and got up to answer the door. "Hello. Can I help you?"

The elegant woman smiled benignly. "Penny Queen? I am Priya Koothrappali. I have been retained by Sheldon Cooper to represent you."

Penny's jaw dropped as Priya stepped to the side and revealed a sheepish Sheldon standing in his doorway. "Represent me?" she asked faintly.

Priya nodded confidently. "I understand your ex is thinking of contesting for custody of your daughter. I have been hired to act as your council."

Penny looked from Sheldon to Priya and back again. "You did this?" she asked softly.

Sheldon nodded shyly. "I know you are worried. I wanted to help."

Penny burst into tears again and Sheldon took a step back involuntarily. Penny took three long steps and wrapped her arms around his waist. Sheldon fidgeted but didn't push her away. "Thank you," Penny managed to sob.

Sheldon smiled and relaxed. "You are welcome," he replied gently.

After a few minutes they went into Sheldon's apartment so Penny and Priya could talk about Cat and Kurt. He was pleased when Penny kept him by her side, including him in the discussion. When Priya left two hours later, Penny turned to Sheldon.

"I'm sorry I blew up at you," she said softly. "I shouldn't have taken my anger out on you."

Sheldon tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "I, too, should have controlled my anger better. I've missed you," he confessed meekly.

Penny raised up and kissed him on the lips. "I've missed you, too."

Sheldon grinned. "Penny, would you like to watch some tv with me?"

She led him to the couch and curled up by his side. "I'd love to."

Sheldon turned on Star Trek and put his arm around her. He was glad they had made up. He was even more glad that Penny was not so upset and sad anymore.


	14. Chapter 11

**Sheldon has hired Raj's sister in an effort to help Penny. Their relationship is back on track. So far.  
**

Sheldon glanced at his watch and frowned. He expected Penny more than 30 minutes ago. She had agreed to go bowling with him, Leonard and Amy. He set his bowling ball bag on the coffee table and headed out into the hall. He knocked on her door and called her name. He listened carefully but didn't hear anything. He knocked three rounds again, but still received no answer. Sheldon debated with himself for all of two minutes before he returned to his apartment.

Leonard, Howard and Raj looked at him curiously. "Where's Penny?"

Sheldon opened his desk drawer and removed the spare key Penny had given him almost two months earlier. He went back into the hall and inserted the key into the lock. He hesitated a second before unlocking the door.

He and Penny had been growing closer and closer over the seven weeks since Disneyland. They always kissed hello and good night. They routinely held hands. Sheldon was slowly acclimating to life as part of a couple. However, he was starting to …want things. Things he had no understanding of, or name for. Every day he was feeling a bit of …discontent. A sort of craving, almost.

Sheldon pushed the door open and peered around the edge. The lights were off, and he turned to leave, but a bout of coughing stopped him. He turned back to the bedroom door and cautiously knocked on it. He heard a low moan and it tore through him. He opened the door and stepped into the dark room. He edged over to the bed and peered down at Penny. He cringed at the feverish flush to her skin. Tentatively he placed his hand on her forehead, only to jerk back as if her skin was on fire.

"Penny?" he whispered softly. "Penny?" Her eyes opened slightly, but they were unfocused and glassy. He moved to the bathroom quickly and ran cool water over a wash cloth. He hurried back and placed it on her forehead and she gave a gasp which quickly turned into another bout of coughing. Sheldon sort of pulled her onto her side and the coughing eased some.

As soon as she relaxed again, he rushed from the apartment and moved back into his own. "Leonard, Penny is sick. Very sick. I need someone to run to the store and purchase some medicines and a selection of juices. I am going to collect my humidifier along with some other essential items and go back over."

Howard stood and headed to the door. "I'll head over to the Rite-Aid pharmacy. I'll grab some Gatorade, too. It has electrolytes."

Sheldon hurried back to the bathroom and grabbed the extensive emergency medical kit he kept there. He sidetracked to his bedroom on a whim and grabbed pajamas and his robe. He blushed at Leonard's raised eyebrows. "In case Penny needs round-the-clock attention," he mumbled.

Leonard, Howard and Raj kept quiet as he went back into 4B. The moment the door closed behind him, they looked at each other with grins. "He is so hooked," Raj laughed.

Leonard nodded. "Yep. Howard, grab some antibacterial wipes, too. Once he realizes he forgot them, he's going to panic."

Raj stood and moved to the door. "I'll go with you. We'll get some chicken noodle soup, too, from the Souplantation."

The two men left and Leonard picked up his phone. He looked at the emergency contact list Sheldon had posted on the fridge and dialed a number. "Amy? This is Leonard Hofstadter. Penny is ill so she won't be bowling tonight. No, Sheldon's with her and he's taking care of her. Hmm? Oh, well, yeah. If you want, I'd be glad to go anyway. Sure. I'll meet you there in an hour, okay?"

Leonard hung up and looked at his phone with surprise. Amy wanted him to go bowling anyway. She said she'd really like to get to know him better. Leonard put his wallet in his pocket and walked into the hall. He knocked on Penny's door and after a few minutes Sheldon answered, wearing a mask and gloves.

"Howard and Raj ran to the pharmacy. If you need me, just call." He started to turn away but paused. "Amy asked me to go bowling with her even though you and Penny weren't coming." Leonard hesitated. "I told her I'd meet her in an hour. Unless you want me to stay."

Sheldon shook his head. "I am perfectly capable of caring for my girlfriend during her illness. Good night, Leonard."

Leonard walked away with a smile. He was surprised by how easily Sheldon had called Penny his girlfriend. Up until now, he had always referred to her as his "relationship partner". That, in and of itself, had cause a bit of misunderstanding among some of their colleagues, who thought it was Sheldon's way of coming out of the closet. They had tried to explain that to Sheldon, but the tall physicist had just shrugged and said he didn't really care what misconceptions his co-workers had.

Sheldon closed the door and hurried back to the bedroom. Penny's breathing was still labored, so he eased a couple of pillows behind her back. She opened her eyes and blinked at him a couple of times.

"Sheldon?" Her voice was raspy and weak, and it made him cringe. Not just because of germs, but also because she sounded like she was in pain. "Shouldn't be here," she mumbled. "Get sick, too."

He dipped the wash cloth in the bowl of water he had set up and shook his head. "I have already begun a program of antibiotics and vitamin supplements. Also, I have taken the precaution of wearing a mask, latex-free gloves, and liberally scrubbing everything I touch with Purel. I cannot, in good conscience, leave you to suffer."

Penny smiled, but quickly turned away as a coughing spell hit. When she finally caught her breath she leaned back against the pillows and smiled again. "You're a bit of a whack-a-doodle, aren't you?"

Sheldon looked at her haughtily. "You may be ill, but that is no excuse for name calling." He picked up the bowl to change the water and headed to the bathroom. Penny grinned as his next words floated back to her. "Besides," he said softly, "I'm _your_ whack-a-doodle." She drifted off again. Listening to the water run.

* * *

Penny groaned softly as she shifted in the bed. Every muscle and joint ached so bad! Her head was a bit foggy still, but at least her nausea was gone and her throat wasn't on fire. She started to sit up, but felt restrained. She opened her eyes and looked at the long slender arm thrown over her waist. She followed it to the shoulder and up to the face. She smiled tenderly at Sheldon. He was deeply asleep, limbs entangled with hers. She reached out to brush his hair back from his eyes and frowned. His forehead was too warm. Penny eased his arm from her waist and his leg from hers. She bit back a groan as she sat up and looked him over carefully. Crap. She had gotten him sick, after all!

A bedroom door opened and Bernadette peeked around the edge. She gave Penny a small wave and tiptoed over. "How are you feeling?"

Penny grimaced and shrugged. "Like I was run over with a steamroller and then stomped on by a marching band. I think Sheldon caught my flu."

Bernadette nodded. "Two days ago. We figured it was easier to take care of the both of you in one place, so we pretty much quarantined you two in here."

Penny gawked at her. "Two days ago? How long have I been sick?"

"Since Saturday," Bernadette said, helping Penny out of bed. "Today is Tuesday."

They walked slowly to the bathroom. "Holy crap on a cracker," Penny murmured. "No wonder I feel like death."

Bernadette set out a fluffy towel and some clean pajamas. "If you need to pee, do it now. Then take the pill on the bedside table. You'll feel better. I'll go get some medicine for Sheldon."

"Thanks B," Penny said sincerely. "I'll be quick."

When Penny emerged, Sheldon was sitting up in the bed, sipping a cup of tea. He looked at her and blushed, but luckily, no one could tell thanks to his fever. Her hair was hanging in tangles down her back, and he could see her nipples through the thin cotton top. The shorts she wore would have surely gotten her an indecent exposure ticket if she went outside. They were thin and rode low on her hips. Penny slipped back under the fresh blanket Leonard had placed on the bed and scooted over until their shoulders touched.

"Good morning," he said, his voice scratchy.

"Sheldon, I am so sorry," she gently. "I never wanted you to get sick."

He shrugged casually. "Penny, when I entered the room the first time, I was unaware of your illness. However, I willingly and knowingly returned to care for you. I knew the risks."

She looked at him curiously. She had learned early on that Sheldon had a huge phobia about germs. "So why did you come back?"

Sheldon set aside the teacup and turned to face her with a questioning look. "Why wouldn't I? You are my girlfriend. I am supposed to take care of you."

Penny couldn't have stopped herself even if she had tried. She twisted around and threw a leg over Sheldon's outstretched legs. Her arms wound around his neck and she kissed him. Sheldon squeaked in alarm and flapped his hands for a brief second, but then relaxed. In an instant, he had discovered the cure for the discontent he had been feeling lately. Warmth that had nothing to do with illness, and everything to do with emotion, spread like wildfire through him.

His hands moved down to her hips and clenched tightly. Penny released his lips too soon for his liking and laid her head on his shoulder. "I'm a very lucky woman," she whispered against his neck.

Sheldon smiled shyly and loosely wrapped his arms around her back. "I do not believe in luck," he said with a trace of embarrassment. Penny giggled against his skin and he felt goose-bumps break out on his arms. Sheldon and Penny looked up as the bedroom door opened again.

"Shelly, I brought you some split pea soup with little frankfurter slices and homemade croutons. Soon you'll be all …."

Penny looked at the tall thin woman holding the tray with surprise. Sheldon made a strangled squeaky noise. He quickly shifted Penny off his lap and then blushed bright enough to overpower his flushed skin. "Mommy? What are you doing here?"


	15. Chapter 11B

**Somehow, bowling seems like the perfect first date for these two.**

He looked around the bowling alley a bit nervously. Why on earth would Amy want to meet with him anyway? He headed to the rental counter and the girl took his money and brought him shoes. When he turned around Amy was standing behind him.

"Thank you for coming," she said while adjusting her glasses.

Leonard smiled at her. She wasn't a great beauty like Penny, but her eyes were like pieces of dark chocolate. "I was surprised you wanted me to." He paused and looked around nervously. "Um, this isn't some sort of prank is it?"

Amy laughed lightly and shook her head. "No. Before I met Penny I would have been suspicious, as well. I was bullied a lot growing up. I can tell by the way you carry yourself that you were too."

Leonard grimaced. "Is it that obvious?"

Amy smiled. "I read your mom's book." Leonard gave an involuntary shudder and she reached out to take his hand. "It was like reading my Mother's diary. Shall we bowl?"

Leonard let her lead him to a lane and they put on the rented shoes. He kept glancing at her, but she only smiled softly back at him. He really liked her eyes.

**This one seemed too ...weird. It just didn't read right, so I took it out.**

Bernadette and Raj shifted from one foot to the other as Leonard knocked again. They knew Sheldon and Penny were in there. Sheldon had answered a text just ten minutes ago. So why wasn't anyone answering? They finally heard the lock turn and the door opened slightly. "What?" mumbled Sheldon irritably.

Bernadette moved forward and pressed a hand to his neck and Sheldon cringed, but didn't move back. That alone alarmed Leonard.

Bernadette pushed open the door and Sheldon stumbled. "Okay," she said forcefully. "Into bed you go. You're sick."

Sheldon shook his head. "Penny is sick. I am taking car..."

"BED! NOW!" Bernadette yelled. Sheldon shuffled as fast as he could back to Penny's room.

He slipped into the bed and gave Bernadette a weak glare. He wasn't leaving Penny when she needed him. The diminutive woman just rolled her eyes and grabbed latex gloves before picking up a thermometer. She was all business as she approached the bed, and quelled the tall physicist with one glare. He opened his mouth obediently.


	16. Chapter 12

**Hello, Mrs. Cooper.**

Penny gulped as she realized who it was. She bit her lower lip and looked worried between her boyfriend and his mom. So not good! Sheldon had told her on several occasions that his mom was very religious. "Hello. I'm Penny."

Mary raised an eyebrow and walked over to set the tray on the dresser. "Yes, I have been told about you by my son's friends." She looked at Sheldon sternly. "I was quite surprised, I must say, since I had not heard a word from Shelly about you."

Penny winced and glanced at Sheldon. Why hadn't he said anything to his mother? She almost asked but the look of panic in his eyes made she pause. Slowly she reached over and slipped her hand into his and he threaded their fingers together. "Well, Sheldon and I are still figuring out what we mean to each other," she said. "I have only mentioned it once to my grandmother."

Mary looked at they clasped hands with a stunned expression. She looked at Sheldon carefully, the same way he stared at something he found confusing. "Shelly, I called to talk to you about your Meemaw's birthday and found out you was under the weather a bit, so I came to take care of my boy."

Sheldon took a moment to gather what little courage he actually possessed and released Penny's hand. He put his arm around her waist and scooted closer to her side. He nodded to the space this left. "Please have a seat, Mom."

Mary sat down and crossed her legs. She looked at Penny with an authoritative expression. "Leonard, the little Jewish boy and the foreign feller tell me you are a mom. You're awful young to be a widow."

Penny felt her temper starting to rise, and did her best to dampen it down. "I am not a widow. I've never been married."

Mary's lips pursed in disapproval. "Oh?" Sheldon looked back and forth between Penny and his mom. He was growing more and more nervous with each passing second.

Penny watched Mrs. Cooper with pride and confidence. "Yes. I lived with Kurt for four years. We never married. That turned out to be a good thing. He was unfaithful. As it is, I have a beautiful daughter that I love with my entire heart. Her name is Caitlyn Beatrice and she's three years old."

Mary felt a grudging respect for the young woman's obvious love of her child. Her religious roots were deeply ingrained in her, but her motherly ones were just as deep. She couldn't help but respect the woman a little. "Do you not think a child needs both parents? That seems to be the modern way of thinking, I guess."

Penny's back straightened and her eyes narrowed. "Do you think that a single mom is incapable of raising a child? Pretty narrow-minded, don't you think?"

"Now don't you get huffy with me, young woman," Mary said sternly. "I am old enough to be your mother. I deserve respect."

Penny eased away from Sheldon and stood up. She grabbed her robe and pulled it on, despite her aches and pains. "Mrs. Cooper, you are a visitor in _my_ home. You are not _my_ mother. If you want respect, I suggest you start by giving it."

Penny turned and walked to the bathroom. Moments later they heard the shower start. Sheldon looked at his mom worriedly. He cared about Penny a great deal. He loved his mom. If they hated each other…. His chest felt so tight, he was having trouble breathing.

A soft chuckle distracted both Coopers. "You know, I think I'm going to like that little girl."

Sheldon gasped and then scrambled from the bed. "Meemaw!" He hurried over and wrapped his arms around his grandmother. She patted his back soothingly.

"Hello, Moon Pie. Are you feeling any better?"

He smiled warmly at the woman who had always shown him nothing but love and acceptance and stepped back a little bit. "I am on the mend. Bernadette has been kind enough to come over and check up on us. She is a studying to be a microbiologist, and her mother is a nurse."

Meemaw smiled and led the way back out to the living room, Sheldon following with slightly aching joints. Neither noticed Mary stayed behind.

* * *

Penny slumped against the shower wall, gasping for breath. What the hell had just happened?! She insulted Sheldon's mom! Good grief! Sheldon was going to be so angry! Penny sighed and began washing her hair. Okay, so she wasn't going to be best buds with her boyfriend's mom. She wasn't sorry for what she said. It was the truth. She wasn't about to be insulted for being a good mom.

She turned off the shower and stepped out to dry off. She grimaced when she realized she hadn't brought any clothes with her. She pulled on her robe and tied it tightly. She would just step out and grab something quickly. She wasn't about to face off with Mrs. Cooper in her dirty pajamas.

The door opened and Mary watched the young woman walk over to the dresser. She paused to look around the room, presumably for Shelly, but didn't speak. She grabbed some clothes and returned to the bathroom. Mary waited patiently, intent on speaking frankly about her concerns to this woman who obviously meant something to her son. She shifted on the bed and caught sight of something poking out from under the toddler bed across the room.

She stood and walked over, her curiosity getting the better of her. She bent and pulled out a little photo book. She flipped it open and saw a picture of Sheldon and a little brown-haired child holding giant cotton candy cones. She was stunned by the wide smiles of the both of them. She flipped to another page and found a picture of the little girl again, with four women. One of them was Penny, and one was the tiny blonde who had first let them into the apartment. One of the women was covered in atrocious piercing. The other was a bit plain, but was also the most normal looking of the group.

Why couldn't her Shelly find someone like her to finally be interested in? She sighed and flipped to another page. Mary's eyes bugged out. Shelly and Penny. They were in a roller rink. Both of them were smiling, Penny's hands on his shoulders, and his were holding onto her waist. Mary studied the picture carefully. There was no denying it. Her son was in love. And this young woman felt the same.

The bathroom door opened again and Penny stepped out. She was wearing jeans, and a simple red t-shirt. She opened a small box on the dresser and pulled out a hair bow. She pulled her wet hair into a ponytail and glanced at the album in Mary's hands.

"Please put that back where you found it. It belongs to my daughter," Penny said stiffly.

Mary frowned at Penny's tone and looked down at the book again. "Is there a reason you don't want me looking at these?"

Penny shook her head, and crossed her arms. "No. But it's rude to walk into someone's home and start rifling through their things. Mrs. Cooper, I realize that you and I are not getting off to a good start. I'm sure that this is going to be a problem, not just for you and I, but for Sheldon and I, as well. But quite frankly, I would never treat someone the way you are treating me. So, I will ask you politely, once more. Please put my daughter's possession back where you got it."

"You are quite outspoken, aren't you?" Mary asked as she placed the photo album on the little bed. "Very well, let me be just as outspoken. I love my son. But he's not like other men. He's ….naïve, innocent. He has spent his life dedicated to his work. He's never been good with emotions. I am concerned not only by the swiftness with which Sheldon has become attached to you, but by the depth of that attachment and the fact that he hid it."

Mary crossed her arms, unconsciously imitating Penny. "What makes you good enough for my Shelly?"

* * *

Meemaw and Sheldon settled on his couch and sipped the tea that Leonard had made. She turned to her grandson with a smile. "So, tell me about your young lady."

Sheldon blushed and sipped his tea. "Her name is Penny Queen, she has a daughter named Caitlyn, who goes by Cat. She works as assistant manager at the Cheesecake Factory. She is kind, and funny, and we have been dating for almost two months now."

Meemaw looked at him curiously. "Moon Pie, I get a letter from you every two weeks, without fail. Several times you have mentioned Penny, but only in the context of a neighbor, or friend. Why didn't you say that you were involved with this woman?"

Sheldon looked down and sighed. "At first, it was because I was unsure of what to say. When we became involved, I was hesitant to tell you about her because I was worried. When Missy came to visit, she met Penny, and she …teased me. A lot. Until then, I had not realize how unusual it would appear to my family that I was seeing someone romantically." Sheldon looked up at his grandmother with caution. "Do you remember the woman Cousin Frank was seeing? She was also a single mom, and Mom disapproved of her because of that."

Meemaw shook her head. "Moon Pie, Mary didn't disapprove because Georgette Ferrell was a single mom. She disapproved because that woman was a drug addict."

Sheldon frowned slightly. "She was?"

"Umm, I hate to interrupt," Bernadette said from the kitchen where she was putting together a large salad, "but where are Penny and your mom?"

Sheldon looked around his apartment with wide eyes. "Oh no!"


	17. Chapter 13

**Penny and Mary haven't gotten off to the best start. Can they call a truce, or will it be all-out war?**

Penny stared at Mrs. Cooper for several heartbeats before finally shaking her head. "I could tell you that I'm not, and seek your approval through false modesty. I could tell you that I am and seek your approval through self-promotion. Instead, I'm going to be honest, and tell you there is no such thing."

Penny opened her bedroom door, quickly noting the apartment was empty. "There is no such thing as 'good enough'. What is good for you is not necessarily what is good for me. Your son is a grown man, with a genius IQ. Don't sell him short. He is more than capable of deciding for himself what he wants to do, and who he wants to be with. I won't justify myself to anyone." Penny's voice dropped to a mere whisper. "Not ever again."

Mary paused in mid-step as her exceptional hearing (it's where Sheldon got it) picked up not only the last sentence, but the pain embedded in it. She took a moment to rethink her approach. This woman was not easily intimidated. Good. Her son was a complicated man. She would need a bit of backbone if she was going to be in his life. Mary suspected flattery would just put her back up more. Well, blunt honesty it is, then.

"I love my son. But I do not understand him. I've always firmly believed that God gave him his smarts for a purpose. To prove, through his sciences, that God is real. I believe God's hand is guiding him just as it guides us all, whether we believe in him or not. That doesn't stop me from worrying about Shelly, though." Penny turned to look at her and Mary stepped closer. "He may seem detached and even robotic at times, but he's very fragile."

Penny shook her head. "Sheldon is the strongest man I have ever met. Just because he keeps his emotions under wraps, doesn't make him weak or fragile. From the moment we met, Sheldon has been a bit whacky, and a bit neurotic, but he has also always been sweet, kind and tender. My daughter adores Sheldon. In all honesty, he has more power to hurt me than I do to hurt him. I love him."

* * *

Sheldon jumped up from the couch. "Oh no!" He twitched for a moment. 'Mom and Penny …..oh drat. That's not good." He moved to the door quickly. He threw open the door and took a step into the hallway.

"Oki!"

Sheldon froze and turned to the stairwell. A thin blonde with too much make-up and not enough clothes was holding Cat's hand. Cat pulled free and ran up the last three steps to him. He smiled and swung her up onto his hip.

"Who are you, and why do you have Cat?" he asked, cradling the little girl close.

"I'm Karen, Kurt's fiancée. He got called to a job in Vegas. The construction crew he's over has a problem, so I said I'd bring Cat home. You must be the boyfriend." Karen looked him up and down, clearly unimpressed. "Hmph. I guess once you've had my Kurt, it's all downhill." She pressed a quick kiss to Cat's cheek and smiled at her sweetly. Then she turned and headed back down the stairs without another word.

Sheldon looked down at Cat who was sucking on her two fingers again. He carried her back into his apartment and she smiled widely. "Leopard, I hungry."

Meemaw watched with amusement as Leonard walked over to the fridge and pulled out a Lunchable. Bernadette grabbed a juice box and some napkins. She walked over and placed them on the coffee table while Sheldon grabbed a dvd set of Looney Tunes from the shelf. She watched the three adults work in unison, without a word, to get everything ready.

The little girl looked at her and pressed her face against Moon Pie's shoulder. Sheldon smiled softly and patted her back. "Cat, this is my Meemaw. Say hello."

Cat glanced at her shyly. "What's a Meemaw?"

Meemaw stood and walked over. "That means I am his grandmother."

Cat looked at her curiously. "Like my Mamaw?"

Meemaw nodded with a gentle smile. "Exactly like that. It is very nice to meet you, Cat."

Cat smiled shyly. "I like you."

Meemaw laughed with delight and held out her arms. Cat reached for her without hesitation. Sheldon handed her over just as the Penny walked in the front door with his mom. He looked at them worriedly, but relaxed when Penny smiled at him. She stopped when she saw Cat.

"Umm, Sheldon?"

"Apparently Kurt was called to Las Vegas about work. His fiancée brought her home." He watched his mom move over to stand beside Meemaw. Cat looked at her shyly, and immediately reached back out for Sheldon. He couldn't quite hold back his grin at her trust in him.

Cat leaned way over and placed her head on Penny's shoulder, but kept her little hands wrapped in Sheldon's shirt. "Mommy! I's backed here! Misses you!"

Penny kissed her daughter's head and smiled. "Mommy missed you, too. Did you have fun with Daddy and his family?"

Cat nodded quickly. "I ated lots of cookies, and Papa taked me fishing. Colton push me down but Daddy whooped him. Abby gots a kitten. Can I get a kitten, too? I missed Oki and Ameses and Leopard, too. mamaw puts my juice in a sippy cup. Leopard gives me straws."

Penny grinned humorously. "They missed you, too. Sweetheart, I want you to meet someone. This is Sheldon's mommy. Her name is Mrs. Cooper."

Cat smiled shyly at her and waved. She shrunk back slightly when Mary reached over to brush her hair back and wiggled down from Sheldon's arms. She ran over to the toy box behind the couch and began pulling out mega blocks. Penny shrugged apologetically. "I guess she's done talking for now."

Meemaw took her seat on the couch again. "She is a very sweet girl."

Sheldon took Penny's hand in his and drew her closer. "Penny, this is my Meemaw, Caroline Lee. Meemaw, this is my girlfriend, Penelope Queen."

Penny smiled warmly at her. "Hello, Mrs. Lee. It is a pleasure to meet you."

Mary sat down beside her mother-in-law and looked at Sheldon firmly. "So, tell us all about you and Penny. How long have you two been dating? How did you meet? What do you do, Penny?"

"Mary, stop interrogating the children. I believe I'm with little Caitlyn here. I'm hungry, too. How about we sit back and enjoy the nice dinner Leonard, Rajesh and Bernadette are making?" Meemaw looked toward the kitchen. "Are you three sure we can't do anything?"

Bernadette shook her head quickly. "Oh, no. It's almost ready. I hope you like lasagna, salad, and garlic bread."

Leonard looked at his watch. "Amy, Howard, and Gail should be here soon, too. They're bringing dessert. Apparently Gail makes an incredible peach cobbler."

Penny moaned and flopped down into the armchair, one hand over her stomach. "Holy crap on a cracker!"

Meemaw looked at her curiously. "Is she a bad cook?"

Penny shook her head. "It's not that. She really does make a great cobbler. It's just that Gail comes from a military family. A very large, Catholic military family. She's one of 11 kids. She has no concept of proportion. The last time she made a cobbler, it took the four of us a week to finish it all. She's the only person I know who has an industrial oven in her home."

Bernadette nodded and looked over at Penny. "Remember the Christmas pudding?"

"Christmas mountain is more like it," Penny laughed. Cat crawled up onto the couch with a couple of storm troopers in her hands. "Puddin'! I liked puddin'!"

Penny grinned at her daughter. "That's because it was as big as you, sweetheart. But no dessert until you eat."

Cat's lower lip puckered out and she gave Sheldon puppy eyes. He started to open his mouth but Penny cleared her throat ominously. Sheldon's shoulders slumped a bit. "Penny said you have to eat first, Cat."

Cat looked at Mary and she laughed with surprise. "Oh no, little missy. I am not falling for that. I raised three just like you. You will eat your dinner first." Mary glanced at Penny who looked a bit surprised. "I'm a mom, too. I know very well how hard it is when someone else allows your child to get away with something you forbid."

"She means me," Meemaw grinned unabashedly. The front door opened then and the rest of their group walked in. Meemaw and Mary looked with stunned disbelief at the three very large pans of warm peach cobbled.

Penny sighed and nodded. "Told ya so."


	18. Chapter 13B

**Yep, another deleted scene!**

Penny walked over to Priya and smiled nervously. "Sorry about this," she said.

Priya shook her head. "I don't mind meeting you at work, Penny. It just shows you are dedicated to providing for Cat, as any good mom is."

A shadow fell over them and Penny looked up. "Hello, Zack."

"Hey, Penny," the big guy answered. "How's everything going?"

Penny sighed. "It's going." She gestured to Priya. "I don't know if you remember Raj, but this is his sister, Priya. Priya, this is Zack Johnson."

Priya looked at the large man with wide eyes. "Um, hello," she said faintly. "Are you an employee, Mr. Johnson?"

Zack was looking at Priya as if he was stunned so Penny shook her head and answered for him. "His family owns the company that handles our menus and linens." Penny looked back and forth between Zack and Priya. An idea struck her and she grinned.

"Hey Zack, how about keeping Priya company for me while I handle a bit of paperwork? I'll be done soon, Priya, and then we can talk."

Before either of them could think of a response, she walked away. She pulled Bernadette through the kitchen door swiftly. She and Bernadette watched Zack pull out a chair for Priya and then sit down across from her.

"Is it just me, or do they look smitten to you?" Bernadette asked with a giggle.

Penny grinned. "Two more for our little group, maybe?"

"You mean our not-so-little group," Bernadette laughed. "Especially if you keep adding to it."

Penny shrugged. "I can't help it," she said with a smile. "I just want everyone to be happy, too."

Bernadette smiled as they watched Zack and Priya. She knew exactly what Penny meant. She loved Raj and felt the same way.


	19. Chapter 14

**Mary and Penny have found a compromise. They both love Sheldon and want the best for him. **

"I don't say this often, so pay attention." Sheldon looked up from buttoning his pajamas to find his Mom standing in the doorway. "I was wrong. Your Penny may not have lived a life I wholeheartedly approve of, but she is a good mom to her daughter. She is a hard worker, from what your friends tell me, and she has no problem standing up for herself. And it is obvious that you mean a great deal to her. That's all I have ever wanted for you. Someone to accept you for who you are." Mary walked over and smoothed the collar on his top. "I guess what I am saying is, I like her."

Sheldon looked down at his mom with a mix of hope and happiness. "I like her, too. Mom. Penny …she makes me think there's more to life than what I have always thought. I spent 20 years focused on science. On unraveling the mysteries of the universe. I still have the drive to work on my theories. But now," Sheldon sighed and struggled to explain what he was thinking and feeling. "I don't know how to say it," he said, frustration leaking into his voice.

Mary cupped his cheek and smiled gently at him. "You love her, Shelly. It's as simple as that."

Sheldon blushed and looked down. "Yes, I do." He glanced up at her worriedly. "What if she doesn't love me?"

Mary smiled. "Ask her. I think you'll like her answer."

Sheldon's eyes widened and he quickly moved past his mom and hurried toward the door. Mary rolled her eyes and followed after him. "I didn't mean right this minute," she muttered.

Leonard and Meemaw were making up a makeshift bed on the couch since he had given up his bed for the Cooper women, when Sheldon practically sprinted by. They watched him throw open the door and knock on Penny's door.

A few minutes later Penny opened the door, a worried expression on her face. "Sheldon? What's wrong?"

He looked down into her hazel eyes and his courage almost deserted him. He took a deep breath and bent his head. He pulled her close and kissed her, copying the way she had kissed him this morning. Penny sank into his embrace and wrapped her arms around his waist, kissing him back just as fervently.

Sheldon gasped as a slow burn of desire began coursing through him. He eased back from the kiss and licked his lips. Penny's dazed expression almost made him dive back down for another kiss. He steeled himself and cleared his throat. "Penny, I love you."

She smiled softly and laid her head on his chest. "I love you, too, sweetie."

His eyes widened with surprise. "You do? Why didn't you ever say so?"

Penny shrugged. "I figured that when you were ready to hear it, you'd let me know. I've loved you for a very long time."

Sheldon looked down at her shyly. "How long?"

"Since Disneyland," she answered. "I knew you didn't want to go at first, but you did it anyway. You were willing to put up with crowds, and noise and the risk of Goofy just to make Cat happy."

"You," he whispered. Penny looked slightly confused so he spoke louder. "I was willing to risk Goofy," he said firmly, "for you. Because you asked me to go."

Penny shook her head with amusement. "Well, it made me realize what a wonderful guy you are. And just so you know, I made sure Goofy never came near you or Cat. I saw him while we were all in line for the sno-cones. I snuck over and told him she was scared of him and asked him to avoid our group."

Sheldon gave a breathy laugh and hugged her tighter. "I do not know when I started to love you," he admitted worriedly. "I was in love with you long before I realized I was. Leonard pointed out that almost from the beginning, I have been drawn to you. I have never felt what I feel for you with anyone else." He looked a bit worried. "Does it upset you if I do not know when or why I started to love you?"

Penny shook her head. "Not at all, sweetie. I'm just glad you do."

Sheldon sighed happily, arms wrapped snuggly around her. After a few more seconds he realized his Mom, Meemaw and roommate were looking at them still. "Umm, Penny?"

She pulled back slightly and looked around him wryly. She leaned up and kissed him lightly on the lips. He started to follow her as she pulled away. "It's late, Sheldon. You need your REM sleep and I have to work tomorrow to make up for the sick days. I'll see you when I get home, okay?"

He sighed and nodded. "Good night, Penny." he said softly.

She smiled warmly. "Good night, Sheldon."

* * *

Two days later, Leonard and Meemaw smiled at each other as they watched Sheldon watch the clock. Mary shook her head with amusement. "Shelly, it's only 7am. She's still asleep."

Sheldon toyed with the bowl of oatmeal in front of him. "I was just glancing at the clock to make sure it was keeping the right time," he muttered making his left eye twitched.

"Oh?" Meemaw asked with one raised eyebrow.

Sheldon turned a bright red and mumbled something else they didn't quite hear.

"What was that?" Leonard asked with a big grin.

Sheldon glared at him. "I do not see what is so amusing to you."

Mary patted him on the shoulder. "Now calm down, Shelly. It's very sweet that you are anxious to see your girlfriend. I'm sure she'll be over soon enough."

Just then there was a knock on the door. Sheldon jumped up eagerly as it opened. Penny and Cat came in, a large diaper bag over one shoulder and a folded up stroller leaning against the door frame.

"OKI!" Cat cried, bursting into tears. Sheldon hurried over and took her from Penny who grimaced.

"She's not in a good mood today," Penny said tiredly. "She was up most of the night with nightmares and I couldn't get her back to sleep. She's very tired and cranky."

Sheldon fidgeted slightly before leaning down to kiss Penny quickly. Then he moved to the couch and sat down, Cat hugging his neck tight. Sheldon got them comfortable and began to sing softly. "Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur. Happy kitty, sleepy kitty, purr, purr, purr."

Penny moved to the kitchen and accepted the coffee Leonard held out. "Thanks," she whispered as they all watch Sheldon rock Cat until she drifted off to sleep. Once she was out, he looked up smugly.

Penny grinned and shook her head slightly. "No one likes a braggart, Sheldon. Just for that, you get to help her eat lunch."

Sheldon looked horrified for a moment but then his eyes narrowed. "Challenge accepted, my dear."

Penny laughed and shook her head. "Fine. Let's get going. The zoo waits for no one."

* * *

"I don't think I've ever seen that look on your face," Penny laughed as Sheldon watched the koala chewing on some leaves.

He grinned and looked down at her. "They are just so cute," he admitted shyly. He grinned even wider as Penny slipped under his arm and wrapped an arm around his waist.

"Like you," she teased.

"Penny?" They both turned as a tall man with blond hair walked over. "It is you!" he grinned.

Penny smiled and took a step toward him. "Hey, Greg! It's been a long time," she said with a smile. Sheldon's hands clenched as the newcomer swept her up into a quick hug.

The guy looked her up and down. "How's life been treating you, girl? You look scrumptious!"

Penny laughed. "Good. Life's been really good." She reached over and pulled Sheldon closer. "I want you to meet someone. Sheldon, this is an old friend of mine, Greg McDavid. Greg, this is my boyfriend, Sheldon Cooper."

Greg held out a hand which Sheldon ignored. Greg looked a bit uncomfortable for a second before turning back to Penny. "So, how's the baby? Last time I saw her, she's was a chubby little ball of giggles."

"She's growing like a weed," Penny laughed, pointing across the path to where Cat was dragging Leonard around the kangaroo pen.

Greg smiled down at Penny. "She's as pretty as her mommy."

Penny opened her mouth to respond but was stunned to see Greg fall back on his ass. With wide eyes she looked at the closed fist where Greg's nose had just been. She followed the fist, across the arm, and up to the face. Sheldon's brows were drawn into a straight line over narrowed eyes. A muscle in his jaw twitched around his clenched teeth.

"Sheldon? What the hell?!"


	20. Chapter 15

**Sheldon lost his temper and punched Penny's old friend. Somehow I don't think that was the best move on his part.**

**(Also, fair warning, this chapter gets a bit racy, which is why I changed the rating. I kinda forgot about what goes on here when I started posting. Good thing I made sure to re-read it for mistakes!)**

* * *

Sheldon kept shooting glances at Penny near the vending machines, hoping for an indication that she wasn't angry anymore. He sighed and sipped the soda Meemaw had handed him, his sandwich and potato chips untouched on the paper plate.

"You know, a simple 'I'm sorry' works wonders," Mary said softly as she sat down beside him.

He shook his head slightly. "I do not think Penny will be apologizing any time soon."

Mary rolled her eyes and turned to face him. "I mean you, Shelly. You owe that little girl an apology. You embarrassed her and insulted her friend. You should tell her you're sorry."

"But I'm not," he declared. "That man was flirting with my Penny, Mom. He called her _scrumptious_," he hissed angrily.

Meemaw nodded as she joined them. "And Penny immediately introduced you as her boyfriend, sending that young man the message that she was involved with someone. You did not need to strike him."

Sheldon blushed with embarrassment, looking down at his reddened knuckles. "I do not know what possessed me to behave in such a manner," he admitted timidly. "Penny probably thinks I am some sort of Neanderthal."

It's the Texan in you," Mary replied. "I remember this one time, a man in the supermarket came up to me and pinched my bottom. Your daddy didn't like that very much. I had to bail him out of jail," she said with a wistful smile.

Sheldon shuddered in horror. "Good lord! I don't think I like this very much. I have never felt the urge to hit anyone over physics." He frowned slightly. "Except for Kripke. But he hardly qualifies as human."

"Moon Pie, go apologize," Meemaw said firmly. "Penny deserves that."

Sheldon sighed and looked down at the soda can in his hands. Before he could decide what to do, Penny, Cat, Amy and Leonard approached. He looked at her hopefully, but she kept her attention focused on Cat.

"Eat your sandwich, sweetheart," Penny said softly. "Then we can go see the manatees."

"And wallygators?" Cat asked tiredly, leaning her head on Penny's chest.

"And the alligators," Penny agreed.

Sheldon licked his lips nervously and opened his mouth, only to close it again quickly. His shoulders bowed inward and he wrapped his hands tighter around the soda can. He had made a huge mess of today.

"You, too, Sheldon. If you don't eat, you don't get funnel cakes," Penny said calmly.

He looked at her quickly, hopefully. Penny indicated his plate. "I'm not kidding, Sheldon. Eat. You're skinny enough as it is. You need more muscle if you're going to keep beating the crap out of innocent strangers you meet in public."

Sheldon's skin flushed a deep pink and he whimpered. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "I shouldn't have hit your …friend."

"No, you shouldn't have," Penny said simply. "He's an old friend from Nebraska. Greg was like a brother to me growing up. His sister Carrie and I were very close. We did almost everything together. Cheerleading, summer camp, we even went to the prom with brothers. She died our senior year in a car accident. Greg and I kind of lost touch after that."

Penny sipped her soda and looked at Sheldon fully. "I'm not happy with you, Sheldon. You embarrassed me and hurt my friend. You didn't even give him a chance. But after talking to Leonard a moment ago I also realize that this is all new to you. You and I are both going to make mistakes. I can accept that. But let's not keep making the same ones over and over. Okay?"

Sheldon tentatively reached over and slipped his hand into hers. "Okay," he agreed.

Meemaw smiled at them both. "Good. Now that that's settled, Cat and I want to see those wallygators. So hurry up and eat, both of you."

"Eats!" Cat giggled loudly, her tired eyes still managing to sparkle with joy. Penny and Sheldon smiled as the others laughed. Penny picked up her own sandwich and Sheldon reached for some chips.

* * *

Penny laid Cat in her bed and closed the door. She walked over to Mary and Meemaw and smiled. "I have to work in the morning, so I'll say goodbye now," she said softly. "It has been a pleasure getting to know you both."

Mary smiled and nodded. "I have to admit, this has probably been the best visit I've had with Shelly. Thank you for that."

Meemaw pulled Penny in close for a tight hug. "Now, you take care of my Moon Pie, Penny-Blossom."

Penny looked into her warm blue eyes. "Penny-Blossom?"

Meemaw grinned widely. "I have nicknames for all my loved ones."

Penny's lower lip trembled for a moment and then she burst into loud sobbing tears. Sheldon looked at her with alarm and almost bolted for the door. Before he could fully form the thought, though, Mary gave him a sharp shove in the small of his back, grabbed her mother-in-law's hand and left the apartment. Sheldon stumbled a step forward and Penny latched onto him. His arms fluttered in the air for a second before he timidly placed them around her back.

"There, there. Sheldon's here," he muttered cautiously. Penny's voice was muffled in his Rock 'em Sock 'em Robot shirt so he pulled back his upper body a little bit to try and hear her.

"..and sweet," _*hiccup*_ "and I just…" _*sniffle*_ "couldn't believe ..." She took a deep shuddering breath, and more tears poured down her face, splashing onto his shirt. "She likes.." _*hiccup*_ "me! I just.." _*deep breath*_ "adore her, Sheldon!" Penny's voice trailed off into another sob and she buried her face into his wet chest again.

Sheldon frowned as he tried to make sense of what had just happened. "Penny?" he said gently. "Are you crying because Meemaw likes you?" She nodded against his by now slightly uncomfortable chest and he got even more confused. "You are sad because you are happy?"

Penny nodded again and clung to him tighter. Sheldon stilled as he once again felt that same urge he had felt the morning they woke up in her bed. His hands moved of their own volition to trace down her back to her hips. His fingers clutched tightly as his own hips bucked lightly against hers.

Penny's crying tapered off and she looked up at him. "Sheldon?"

He licked his lips nervously. "Penny, I …I'm not sure what to say. I didn't intend to grope you…"

Penny pulled him down quickly and kissed him hard. Sheldon groaned and suddenly forgot how to speak. Her tongue slipped along side his and Sheldon's knees threatened to buckle. He turned them both quickly, and dropped onto her couch, pulling her with him. Safety was the last rational thought he had before all the blood in his brain settled further south.

Later, in the safety of his room, away from prying relatives and friends, he would try to use math and science to figure out how they got from point A to point D, but at that very moment, all he could do was feel.

There was kissing and hugging, and one of them was making these tiny moaning sounds. Maybe both of them were. It was very difficult to tell where one of them ended and the other began. But then suddenly, he brushed against her and sheathed himself in her body.

They both froze and looked at each other in shock. Neither one of them could remember undressing.

Penny licked her dry lips. "Sheldon?"

Her voice was barely a whisper. It jolted him free from his astonishment. He gripped the underside of her thighs and pulled her up a couple of inches before slowly letting her slide back down. The friction made his stomach flutter and his own thighs tense up.

When he was buried as deep as he could go, Penny placed her hands on his shoulders and slowly rose back up until just the tip remained inside her before sinking down again. He couldn't break eye contact, afraid to shatter the moment. He moved his hands up her back to entangle them in her hair.

Penny began to move in a steady rhythm, and he gasped aloud as the sensations threatened to overwhelm him. "Penny," he begged, not really knowing what it was he was asking for.

She bent forward and kissed him tenderly. "I've got you," she promised. "Just let go and I'll catch you."

Sheldon hesitated a couple of seconds before giving up his tight hold on his control. He twisted them to the side and rose over her. He pressed his head into the crook of her neck and began to move. Penny wrapped her arms around his neck tightly and pushed her hips up to meet each thrust.

The only sounds in the room were their gasping breaths and the occasional murmured "I love you".


	21. Chapter 15B

**Yet another short, from Penny's POV.**

Penny stepped into her shower and reached for the knobs. How water sluiced over her sensitive skin and she sighed. She looked down at her boobs and smiled softly. Ten bruises were just starting to form. She had never been one for holding back, and neither, it seemed, was Sheldon.

Her whole body was deliciously tender. She leaned against the shower wall and pictured the intensity in his eyes as he had joined their bodies. So much need and hunger, it made her skin feel tight all over again.

Good lord! He'd only left 40 minutes ago and already she wanted him back in her arms. Penny sighed and reached for her shampoo. She was pretty certain that Sheldon Lee Cooper was a highly addictive man.

She had two options. Jump in with both feet and let him bind her to him heart and soul, or run for the hills now, and hope that her heart recovered someday. Penny turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. She looked at herself in the mirror. There was a bite mark on her shoulder and finger bruises on her breasts. She pulled on her robe and headed for bed.

She never was a quitter.


	22. Chapter 16

**Sheldon and Penny have gone waaay past hand holding and a few kisses. Are they prepared for the morning after?**

Sheldon looked at his reflection in the mirror and wondered if anyone else could see what he saw. He was certain his eyes were a dead giveaway. There was knowledge in them that hadn't been there before. Not to mention the physical evidence. The small bite mark on his left clavicle was practically a neon sign.

He leaned his forehead against the mirror and took a few steadying breaths. How could he face her again? He had mauled her and taken advantage of her emotional outburst. He couldn't deny it was him who had initiated it. It was him who had grabbed her hips and pressed his private area against her. His breathing grew rapid as he remembered the way she had looked underneath him.

"Shelly?" His mom tapped on the bathroom door and he jolted back to the present.

"Mom, you know I dislike interruptions while I am dressing," he managed to reply.

"Tough," she shot back. "We have to leave in 15 minutes, so get a move on and quit dilly-dallying!"

He sighed heavily and pulled on his second shirt. One last glance in the mirror and he headed to the living room. Mom, Meemaw, Leonard and Amy awaited him. He looked at the brunette with surprise. "Hello, Amy."

"Good morning, Sheldon," Amy replied. "I hope you do not mind my intrusion. I have to fly to Seattle for an interview with a private lab and Leonard was kind enough to offer to drive me as well as your family."

Leonard sighed. "Amy's flight leaves 40 minutes after your, Mrs. Cooper. I hope you don't mind."

Mary shook her head and Meemaw hugged the young woman briefly. "Of course not. Amy, I've quite enjoyed meeting you. Actually, we've enjoyed meeting all of Moon Pie's friends.

Sheldon looked at Leonard who looked resigned before focusing on Amy. "Are you leaving us, then?"

Amy shrugged. "The lab is cutting edge, but many of their patents have military applications. I am not sure if I will be relocating or not."

"Well," Leonard interrupted with false cheer. "Let's get going, shall we?"

* * *

Sheldon waited for Leonard to unlock the doors before slipping into the car. His mom and Meemaw had both hugged him and shed a few tears. They had also hugged Leonard and Amy and made him promise to pass along goodbyes to Penny. Then he had spent an uncomfortable half hour watching Leonard struggle to keep from begging Amy to stay, like the heartbroken mooncalf he was.

Finally they were on their way home where he could sequester himself back in his room. He needed to figure out what was happening between him and Penny before she returned from work.

"So," Leonard said as he pulled back onto the freeway. "You and Penny had sex."

Sheldon squeaked with alarm and almost gave himself whiplash turning toward Leonard. "How…how…"

Leonard smirked. "You walked past me on your way back to your room last night. Pants undone, shirts on backwards, and smelling like Penny's perfume. My IQ isn't quite 187, but I'm not an idiot, Sheldon."

Sheldon slumped in his seat. "It wasn't planned," he muttered with embarrassment. "She was crying, and I was hugging her, and …." he looked at his friend and roommate worriedly. "Leonard, I think I may have taken advantage of her. She was emotional, and I …I touched her. In an intimate way."

Leonard frowned slightly and glanced at Sheldon. He just couldn't imagine Sheldon taking advantage of anyone sexually. Hell, it was hard to believe Sheldon was sexually active, period! "Okay, let's take this slowly. What did you do?"

He blushed and looked out the side window. "I groped her hips and pressed my anatomy against hers." His cheeks turned a brighter red. "There may have been rubbing on my part."

"And what did Penny do?" Leonard asked with a cringe. He _really_ didn't want to hear this, but Sheldon was his friend and he looked so scared.

Sheldon's lips pulled back in a slight smile. "She stared at me for a moment and then kissed me. Open mouthed."

"And?"

Sheldon squirmed in his seat. "We ended up on the couch, and before I knew it, we were …having coitus."

Leonard was silent for several seconds as he thought over what he knew of Sheldon, Penny, and their relationship. "Sheldon, wouldn't you agree that Penny is outspoken?"

Sheldon nodded.

"And wouldn't you also agree that Penny is not someone who is easy to push around?"

Another nod.

Leonard smiled. "Then what makes you think Penny would let you force her into something she didn't want?"

Sheldon frowned and quickly opened his mouth. He paused and shut it just as swiftly. "She wouldn't," he finally admitted softly. His expression cleared and he smiled shyly. "Penny would not have allowed us to continue last night, if she had not wanted to!"

Leonard nodded. "Exactly. You've got nothing to worry about. As long as you two were safe."

Sheldon frowned quickly. "Safe?"

Leonard nodded. "Yeah, you know, safe. You used protection." Leonard glanced over in time to watch Sheldon's face turn ashen. His jaw dropped. "Oh lord, Sheldon! You did use protection, right?"

A rough Texan drawl filled the car. "Darn!"

* * *

"Looks like someone is in a good mood," Bernadette said as she watched Penny work on the next week's schedule. Penny looked up and smiled. Bernadette's eyes widened and she slipped into the office and shut the door. "Holy smoke! You slept together!"

Penny blushed and leaned back into her chair. "We didn't _sleep_ together."

Bernadette snorted. "Semantics, young lady. Spill it!"

Penny nibbled on her bottom lip. "He is so wonderful," she sighed happily. "B, look at me! I'm still shivering with pleasure!" Her skin was covered in goosebumps. "I don't even know how to explain him."

Bernadette looked astonished. "He's that good?"

Penny blushed brightly. "He's that sweet. The sex was great, but more than that, it was the way he looked at me. B, it was like I was the only thing in the world that mattered to him. It was like he couldn't hold me tight enough, or close enough." Her hand drifted to the love bite and she rubbed it absently. "I've never felt this way, B. He means as much to me as Cat does."

"You love him," Bernadette said. "I'm happy for you, Penny. You deserve some love in your life."

Penny grinned and reached for the schedule again. Bernadette turned to leave but stopped when Penny gasped. She looked back and watched the papers flutter to the floor. Penny's eyes were wide and her face was pale. "Penny?"

Slowly Penny looked over at her dearest friend. "Oh shit," she whispered.

Bernadette hurried over and knelt beside her. "What is it? Are you hurt?"

Penny shook her head, slowly. "Oh lord, B! I just realized something."

"What? What's wrong?"

"Sheldon and I didn't plan this. We just kind of fell into it," she whispered.

"Yeah, so?"

Penny turned to look at the small blonde with worry. "I'm not on the pill, anymore."

"Oh shit."

* * *

When Penny got home from work, she paused on the fourth floor. Gail had agreed to keep Cat for the night so she could talk to Sheldon in private. She took a deep breath and knocked on his door timidly. Leonard opened it and looked at her with concern.

Penny sighed. "I guess you know."

Leonard opened the door and she stepped inside. "Yeah. Sheldon is back in his room if you want to talk to him. Just …don't hurt him, okay?" Penny nodded and headed down the hall. "Good luck," Leonard whispered.

Sheldon heard her footsteps long before she got to the door. He took a moment to compose himself while she knocked. "Come in."

Penny peered around the door and stepped inside. "Hey, sweetie. How are you feeling?"

He looked at her carefully, only one thought looping through his mind. "Penny, could you be …" he flinched, unable to finish the question. "I am sorry if I have impregnated you," he said softly. He took a deep breath and looked down. "I should never have had coitus with you. I will never forgive myself to succumbing to such crass behavior."

Neither spoke for several seconds.

"Yes." He looked at her, surprised by the pain of her voice. He flinched when he saw her expression. "I could be pregnant. I haven't been on the pill for a long time. I should have taken precautions last night. This is my fault. And if I am pregnant, it will be my responsibility. You don't have to worry about me. Or the possibility of a baby."

Before Sheldon could process what she said, she was gone, his door slowly drifting closed.

* * *

Leonard looked up as Penny hurried past him. She didn't even glance his way as she opened the door and moved out into the hallway. He rushed after her. "Wait!"

Penny paused, her hand on her door handle. She kept her back to him.

"What happened?" demanded Leonard. "Did you blame him?"

Slowly Penny looked over her shoulder at him. Leonard involuntarily took a step forward when he saw the utter hopelessness in her eyes. "Quite the opposite," she murmured. "I told him he doesn't have to worry. I don't expect _anything_ from him. Ever." Penny jerked open her door and slipped inside, leaving a stunned Leonard in the hallway.


	23. Chapter 17

**Well, that went well. **

Sheldon sat on his bed, frozen, She had …left?

"_You don't have to worry about me. Or the possibility of a baby."_

What did that mean? Of course he would worry about her! And the baby, too. What kind of father would he be if he didn't worry about his child? Why had she left, though? Did …did she hate the idea of a baby with him?

His door opened and he looked up hopefully. Leonard stepped inside and looked at him cautiously. "Sheldon? You okay?" he asked.

Sheldon looked down at his lap. "I …I don't know. I think I made a mistake, but I don't know what it was, Leonard."

Leonard shot a look down the hall and then moved into the room to sit by Sheldon. "What happened? Penny left here looking like she was devsatated."

Sheldon's expression was confused and scared. "I think Penny hates me," he mumbled. "She said I don't have to worry about her or a baby. I…I think she broke up with me."

Leonard took a deep breath. "Okay, what exactly happened? Tell me everything, buddy."

* * *

Gail opened the door and Penny flung her arms around her. Gail stumbled back slightly at the unexpected embrace. She looked over her shoulder at Howard worriedly before drawing Penny inside. Howard silently moved to the guest bedroom, careful not to wake Cat from her nap. He pressed his ear to the door, too curious to worry about privacy.

"Talk to me, honey," Gail said as she drew Penny to the couch.

Penny drew her knees up and wrapped her arms around them. "Sheldon and I had sex," she said softly. "Last night. Things got kind of out of hand, and we …" she took a shuddering breath, "we didn't use any protection. I went to talk to him a little while ago. To talk about what we should do." Penny's breaths became harsh and raspy as she began to hyperventilate.

Gail looked at her with shock and ran to the kitchen for a paper lunch sack. She hurried back and held it to Penny's mouth for her to breath into. "Calm down, honey! Take slow deep breaths."

* * *

Howard couldn't believe what he was hearing as Penny spent the next half hour pouring out her pain to Gail. He pulled out his phone quickly and called Leonard.

"Now's not a good time," Leonard said by way of greeting.

"What the hell happened?" Howard asked quietly. "Penny's having some sort of break down!"

"What?" Leonard asked, his attention suddenly focused on Howard.

"I'm at Gail's. We were watching a movie and Penny came over. She's in the living room with Gail right now, having a panic attack. What the hell happened?" He heard Leonard relay the message to someone, Sheldon probably, and then Leonard was back.

"What's Gail's address?"

Howard rattled it off quietly.

"We'll be there soon," Leonard promised. "Don't let Penny leave. It's all a big misunderstanding, I promise."

Howard pressed his ear to the door again, hoping they got here fast.

* * *

Penny got herself back under control, but her heart was still fracturing into little tiny pieces. "He said he should never have slept with me," she whispered.

Gail placed her hand on the hands clenched around Penny's knees. Penny looked up at her with red rimmed eyes. Her voice broke harshly. "Last night …I've never felt like that," she sobbed. "I thought it was special. That he loved me as much as I loved him. I thought what we did, what I felt, was special. But he regrets it. It meant nothing to him."

Gail's heart broke for Penny and she pulled her into her arms and rocked her gently. _Damn you, Sheldon Cooper! _She thought viciously.

* * *

Leonard had to practically run to keep up with Sheldon's long stride as he hurried up to the 6th floor of Gail's building. "Could have …..taken ….the ele …vator," he wheezed loudly.

Sheldon ignored him, intent on getting to Penny as quickly as possible. Once Leonard had explained to him what he had done, how Penny had misunderstood his words, he had been frantically trying to find her. She had left her phone at home, and Amy was out of town. Bernadette wasn't answering, and Gail's phone was turned off. He had been beside himself with worry until Howard had called. He finally found her apartment and knocked loudly.

Knock. Knock. Knock. "Penny?"

Knock. Knock. Knock. "Gail?"

Knock. Knock. Knock. "Howard?"

The door opened and Howard stepped back to let him in. "She's asleep," he said softly. "She cried herself into exhaustion."

Sheldon's eyes closed in pain and he turned toward the doors across the room. Gail stepped in front of him.

"Oh no, you don't," she hissed. "You have some explaining to do, mister. I'm not letting you anywhere near her until I'm convinced you won't destroy her any more than you already have!"

Sheldon gripped Gail's upper arms and bodily moved her to the side. "Excuse me," he drawled gruffly. "I need to speak to Penny, and you are in my way."

Without waiting for a reply, he marched to the closest door and looked inside. Cat was lying on a small bed, her fingers in her mouth and an arm around Scooby. He shut the door and moved to the other one. He looked inside and saw Penny curled around a pillow. He stepped inside and locked the door, not quite trusting Leonard and Howard to be able to keep Gail from interrupting. He crossed to the bed and looked down at Penny.

There was a hitch in his breathing as he traced the tear tracks down her cheeks with one long finger. He eased into the bed and curled around her from behind. He felt Penny awaken and knew the exact moment she realized he was there. She stiffened and tried to pull away but he wrapped his arms around her tight.

"Please," he said softly. "Please don't hate me," he begged. "I love you, Penny. I don't regret being intimate with you. I only regret putting us in a position where we might have created a child without discussing it first. "

Her words were so soft, he almost couldn't hear them. "You said you shouldn't have had sex with me."

Sheldon nodded against her hair. "I meant it. I shouldn't have engaged in coitus without taking all precautions for both our sakes. My only excuse is that I did not plan it, and was unprepared for the swiftness with which things escalated. But Penny, I could never regret having you in my arms," he whispered in her ear.

Penny sobbed, her body shaking against him. "It hurt so bad," she whispered. "I thought you regretted what we did," she cried, "and it felt like my whole body broke into pieces. I couldn't breath."

Sheldon shifted, pulling her onto her back as he rose up above her. He cupped her cheek and stared into her eyes. "I know exactly how you felt," he said tenderly. "Because I felt the same when I couldn't find you. Penny, you can't ever do that to me again. I couldn't take it if you left me."

Slowly she smiled up at him and placed her hand over his. "We're quite the pair, aren't we?"

Sheldon smiled. "I certainly hope so." Then he bent his head and captured her lips with his.

* * *

Leonard drew away from the door and looked at Gail and Howard. "I can't hear anything, can you?"

Howard shook his head and stepped back. "Not now. Do you think they made up?"

Leonard nodded. "I don't hear any shouting, and we know they love each other. Maybe they have."

Gail looked at both men and then the door. Suddenly she pounded on it loudly. "HEY! You better not be naked in there! I just got those sheets! No one gets to break them in but me and Howard!" She beat on the door again. "Do you hear me?! Keep it in your pants, Cooper!"

Leonard blushed a deep red and silently thanked heaven that Amy was the discreet one of the group. Howard looked at his girlfriend with a smirk. "You got new sheets?"

Gail grinned at him. "Yep. Star Wars. You know, 'May the force be with you' sheets. I figured you might like them when we role play."

"Eew!" Penny said as she opened the door. "TMI, Gail!"

The three friends looked at Penny and Sheldon worriedly, but broke into smiles when they saw Sheldon holding Penny's hand. "Crisis averted, I suppose?" Leonard asked.

Sheldon blushed and nodded. "We are reconciled." He looked at Penny timidly. "Although we still have to talk about the possible consequences."

Penny sighed and nodded. "Yeah, we do. But at least we understand one another again."

Sheldon snorted lightly. "Woman, no one can understand you." Penny pinched his arm in retaliation. He turned to Howard. "Thank you for alerting me to Penny's whereabouts."

Howard shrugged and smiled. "Thank you for not ruining our new sheets."

Sheldon shuddered in distaste and Penny patted his arm. "Come on, sweetie. I'll drive us home. We really do need to talk."

After they left, Leonard gave Howard and Gail a smile. "I should go, too. Be nearby in case they need a friend. Or interpreter for Sheldon."

Gail nodded. "Do you guys think they stand a chance? They're so different."

Howard slipped an arm around Gail's waist. "With us watching their backs? Of course they do."

Leonard let himself out with a final wave and headed for the elevator. He couldn't wait to take to Amy tonight. A nice simple relationship with an uncomplicated woman like Amy. He was a very lucky guy. Even if his girlfriend _was_ in another state at the moment.


	24. Chapter 18

**Penny and Sheldon have had quite a bit of adjusting to do with each other. Mistakes have been made, and misunderstandings have occurred. All relationships have problems in the beginning, but if the two people are committed and work at it, they can overcome anything. Right?**

Sheldon paced the living room, oblivious to the conversation going on around them. Leonard was putting together the Step2 Little Bakers Kitchen that Amy had found for Cat on-line. Cat was "helping" by using the string from around the box to tie Scooby into the baby seat on the side. Bernadette and Raj were cooking chili from a recipe Meemaw had given them. Gail and Howard were going over their character references with Priya at the kitchen table.

The front door opened and Penny walked in. Everyone looked at her anxious to hear her news. She took a deep breath and shook her head. She smiled nervously. "I'm not pregnant."

It took Sheldon four long strides and he gathered her up into his arms. He held her tight, kissing her deeply. The others smiled and hugged each other. Cat looked around curiously, before going back to her task.

"Are you relieved?" Penny asked gently.

Sheldon looked down at her. "I am just glad you are okay. Penny, I would have been just as pleased if you were pregnant. My only wish was for you to be happy."

Penny smiled and looked around at everyone. "Thanks, everyone. We really appreciate the support. You guys are the best."

Sheldon looked at their friends, feeling a sense of peace envelope him. He had spent his formative years felling like an oddball, an outsider. When he had met Leonard, he had tried to keep him at arms length. To keep things strictly regulated between them. But then Leonard had brought Howard and Raj into their lives, as well. No matter how hard he tried to resist, they had wormed their way into his life and his affections.

Then came Penny and Cat, and with her, Bernadette, Amy, Gail, and even Zack and Priya, who were rapidly becoming part of their group. Sheldon held Penny in his arms, marveling at how full his life truly was.

* * *

Sheldon and Leonard were just coming home from work when they saw a tall man at Penny's door. Sheldon looked at him carefully, before stepping forward. "Excuse me, Penny is not at home currently."

The man turned and looked them both over before glancing at his watch. "Well, she's not at work, either. Never could find her when I needed her as a kid, and she ain't changed much now."

Sheldon's temper started to rise at the man's snide tone, so Leonard stepped forward. "If you want, you can leave a message with us. We'll make sure she gets it."

The man looked at Leonard dismissively. "Tell her that her dad is at the Marriott if she gets her butt in before midnight." Without another word, he headed down the stairs.

Sheldon and Leonard looked at each other worriedly. Penny's father hadn't sounded like the most pleasant of men. Sheldon pulled out his phone and called Penny. He hated to disturb her when she was meeting with Priya, Kurt and Kurt's lawyer, but he didn't feel this was something that could wait.

* * *

Penny frowned as her phone buzzed. She shifted Cat to her other leg as all eyes turned toward her. She answered it, knowing it must be important for Sheldon to call now. "Hello?"

Sheldon's voice washed over her like a soothing balm. "Hello, Penny. I am sorry to disturb you, but it would appear that your father is in town. He said to tell you he is staying at the Marriott."

Penny's veins iced over and she closed her eyes tight for a moment. She struggled to keep her expression and voice calm. "Thank you, sweetie. I'll call you back after the meeting."

She hung up and put Cat down. "Honey, why don't you go play with some of the toys over in the corner, okay?"

Cat grinned and toddled off immediately. Penny waited until she was across the room before turning to her ex. Her voice was a heated whisper. "You called my father?! What are you? Twelve?"

Kurt flushed guiltily as both their lawyers looked from their clients, to each other, to the court appointed child advocate. "He's a character witness," Kurt grumbled.

"Miss Queen, you and your father have issues, it would appear," the advocate said curiously.

Penny glanced at Priya who nodded her encouragement. "My step-father and I are estranged. We haven't spoken in almost five years."

"Because you cut him out, and even refused to let him know he had a granddaughter," Kurt said gruffly.

"Screw you," Penny hissed vehemently.

Kurt's lawyer looked pleased. "Ms Douglas, it is obvious that Miss Queen is ruled by her emotions. My client is trying to provide a stable home for his daughter. Miss Queen would still be allowed access to her daughter, a privilege she seems determined to deny others."

Priya shook her head. "Miss Queen has not denied anyone. She merely did not inform a man she has had no contact with that she had given birth."

The advocate looked at Penny curiously. "Miss Queen, why have you never informed your father that he has a grandchild?"

Penny's eyes were fierce. "Because he doesn't. He is not my father. He married my mother when she was pregnant with me, but there are no blood ties between us. He was emotionally abusive to me and my older sister when we were children, often reminding us that we lived in our own home because he allowed it. When my mother died, he gambled away our inheritance along with his own. When I turned 18, I moved out and have made my own way ever since. The last I heard, my father was in rehab for the fourth time. That was two years ago. I will not place my daughter in that man's presence." Penny clenched her hands tightly, glancing at Cat and then at Priya. Damn her honesty. "To be fair, I have never told Kurt why I do not speak to my father, just that we have never gotten along."

The advocate was silent for several minutes, looking through the paperwork in front of her. "Mr. Waggoner, _did_ you know any of this about Miss Queen's father?"

Kurt looked at Penny with stunned eyes. "No," he said worriedly. "I …I'm sorry, Pen. If I had known…"

The advocate looked back and forth between Penny and Kurt. "In far too many of the custody cases I oversee, the parents are usually fighting each other tooth and nail. You both seem to want what is best for Caitlyn. So why are you here? Truthfully, Mr. Waggoner, why have you now decided to ask for full custody instead of partial? You do not seem to truly believe that Miss Queen is an inadequate mother."

Kurt sighed. "She isn't. Penny is a good mom. It's just …I'm moving. I'll be in Colorado. How am I going to see Cat when I am 1100 miles away? I want to see my daughter more than once a year!"

"Dammit, Kurt!" Penny said tiredly. "You know I would never keep Cat from you. You're her dad. She loves you more than just about anything or anyone else. All you had to do was ask and I'd have been more than willing to work something out!"

Kurt looked angry. "How, Pen? How are we going to manage split custody over four states? She'll forget about me if I'm not around."

Ms. Douglas leaned forward, placing her elbows on the table. "May I make a suggestion, off the record?" Everyone looked at the advocate and nodded. "What about quarters? Since Caitlyn's birthday is in the fall, she won't start kindergarten until she is almost seven, four years from now. We can draw up a custody agreement that would split her time between the both of you for three month periods each, that also allows for visits from the other parent if possible. By the time she is ready to enter school, she will be firmly established with both of you emotionally, and we can adjust custody to allow her to stay with Penny during the school year, while allowing Kurt to have her for vacations, and school breaks. I have used this method before dozens of times, and it has worked very well, even among the most belligerent of parents."

Kurt looked at Penny hopefully. She felt a sharp stab to her chest at not having Cat for six months of the year. There had to be another way, didn't there? She couldn't be without her daughter! She opened her mouth to say so, but stopped when Cat appeared by Kurt's leg. She was smiling widely and reaching up for him.

"Daddy! Wook! A wallygator!" She held out the battered legal pad she had found and showed him the scribbled drawing she had done with a purple crayon.

Kurt beamed down at her and picked her up onto his lap. "That's a great wallygater," he said tenderly, admiring the picture. "Is it for me, darlin'?" Cat nodded, proud of herself. She laid her head on his chest and sucked on her third and fourth fingers contentedly.

Penny sighed and brushed away the tears trying to form in her eyes. "Okay, she murmured. "Let's do it." She looked up and met Kurt's eyes. He looked surprised, but hopeful. "We'll try it for a year. But then I want a re-evaluation. To make sure Cat is not being harmed by the arrangement."

Priya patted Penny's back comfortingly and the advocate nodded. She began going over the paperwork needed with the lawyers. Kurt reached across the table and took Penny's hand. She started to pull away but he held on tight for a moment.

"I know you thought this was about my mom," he said softly, "but it never was. I just want to be in my daughter's life. We've had our disagreements, but you know I love her. You have to know that, Pen."

Penny nodded. "I know, Kurt. I've always said you were a good dad." She smiled wryly. "You're a crappy boyfriend, but I've never doubted that you love our daughter."

"It'll work out," he said. "You believe that, right?"

Penny knew he was looking for reassurances, something he had never liked to admit, but had often needed. "I think so," she said. She looked at Cat, curled up in his lap. "For her? I think we can make it work."

An hour later, they had a tentative arrangement ironed out. The advocate scheduled a second meeting for one week later to sign the new custody papers, and they all said their goodbyes.

Penny watched Kurt load Cat up into his SUV and slowly turned to her car. She pulled out her phone and opened up a new text message. She paused and put her phone away again. No, she needed to take care of something before she talked to Sheldon.


	25. Chapter 19

**Penny and Kurt have found a heartbreaking compromise over Cat. (For those who have asked, this is a RL custody arrangement my friend Will had with his ex. It's worked really well for them for over 11 years now. Yes, I know custody battles usually take much longer to settle. This is fiction people. My story, my rules. :P) **

Penny stood in the hallway and stared at the door for several minutes. She wasn't sure what she was feeling. All she knew for sure was that she wanted to be home, with Sheldon and the others. But this was something she had put off for far too long. She needed closure. She raised her hand and knocked firmly.

She waited impatiently as she heard slow footsteps toward the door. It opened and she looked at the man her mom had loved. The man who had constantly belittled her and her sister for everything they ever did.

He looked down at her with cold eyes. "Bout time you showed up. I left that message with those two geeks hours ago."

Penny waited for the pain to come that she had always felt growing up. The sting of feeling inadequate that always surrounded her when she was in his presence. She was surprised when Sheldon's words floated through her mind. _"My only wish was for you to be happy."_

"I don't know what you want," Penny said calmly, "but there is nothing for you here. Go back to Nebraska." She turned to leave and he grabbed her arm.

"Don't you turn your back on me, little girl," he said angrily. "I'm still your father. I want to meet my granddaughter."

Penny jerked her arm free. "You were never my father. You were my mom's husband, and a bad one at that. You have no claim on my daughter at all." Penny looked at him carefully, noting the bloodshot eyes, the sallow shin tone, and the wrinkles around his mouth and eyes.

She shook her head wearily. "I used to fear you," she said softly. "You were so cruel to me and Sarah. All because we weren't boys you could be proud of. You fawned over Robbie, gave him everything and anything he wanted, but Sarah and I? We were just baggage to you. No, I don't fear you anymore. Now you're just an old man, desperate to have respect you never earned. Well, I don't have any to give you." Penny turned away again and headed to the elevators. "Goodbye."

She ignored the sound of a slamming door and stepped into the elevator car. She hit the button for the ground floor and felt a tremendous weight fall from her shoulders. For years she had wanted a close family. Wanted it so badly, she had spent hours begging and praying when she was little. Well, she had a family now. A loving, supportive family that made her happy. Cat, Sheldon, Bernadette, Amy, Leonard, Howard, Gail and Raj. That was her family. And she was anxious to get home.

* * *

Sheldon stood and walked to the door. Leonard smiled slightly, knowing he must have heard Penny's footsteps. He was so attuned to her that it was as if he had a sixth sense. By the time Sheldon opened the door, Penny was stepping onto the fourth floor. Leonard watched them embrace each other tightly. Penny gave him a small wave as they headed across the hall. He stood and shut the door after returning the gesture.

Leonard stood still for several seconds, thinking about the conversation he had with Amy before she left three weeks ago.

"_It's a great opportunity," Amy said hesitantly. "I've worked very hard to get the respect of my peers, and now that hard work is paying off. I …I can't turn this experiment down."_

"_What about your work here in Pasadena?" he asked tensely. "Your friends and family." He swallowed hard. "And me?"_

"_Leonard, it's just for a couple of months…"_

"_Amy, I like you," he said softly. "I want to get to know you better. I know we have the start of something really good. And I think you know it, too."_

_Amy was silent for so long, he began to worry she was angry. "Come with me," she said softly. _

Leonard reached for his phone and dialed a number engraved on his mind. It rang six times before Amy answered.

"Leonard? I was just thinking about you. Again."

"I was thinking I might come visit you," he said with a smile. "If you still want me."

Amy's voice was gentle and full of warmth. "I do. I really do."

Leonard grinned. "I'll be there Friday night."

"I'll pick you up," Amy promised. "And Leonard?"

"Yes?"

"I've missed you."

Leonard blushed even though there was no one there to see it. "I've missed you, also." They said their goodbyes, and Leonard went to his room to pack a bag.

* * *

Sheldon closed the door and pulled Penny into his arms. She wrapped her arms around him tight and breathed in the scent of his All detergent and Irish Spring soap. Slowly her stress seeped away. She smiled as Sheldon spoke.

"There, there, Sheldon's here."

Penny pulled back and looked up at him mischievously. "You know, the last time you said that, things got a bit physical."

Sheldon bent and kissed her hard. When he finally pulled away, they were both gasping for breath. "I'd hate to break a pattern," he murmured before slipping his hands under her shirt.

Penny moaned as his left palm cupped her breast and his right moved behind her to unclasp her bra. Penny drew him down for another heated kiss. Sheldon walked them back toward the bedroom with slow, measured steps. Tonight would be different from their first time. Tonight they would savor each and every touch. They had all night to explore each other. And he intended to delight in each and every second of it.

* * *

He slipped his arm across her waist and drew her flush against his chest. Her breathing was rhythmic and steady, even though she gave the occasional snore. He studied her features closely, enthralled by how much pleasure he got just from looking at her. He had always known the universe was filled with mysteries within riddles within enigmas. He had never known that love was the same.

Every emotion he discovered with Penny led him to a new one he had never known he could feel. Apprehension led to confusion, which led to curiosity, which led to admiration, which led to desire, which led to love, and so on. Sheldon closed his eyes and buried his face in her golden tresses. Love led to peacefulness, apparently.

* * *

**(It's been a couple of months, now. Cat is about to go away with Kurt, and the couples have settled into one large familial group. To keep Penny's mind off the upcoming separation, they invited the girls to paintball.)**

Howard, Sheldon, Leonard and Raj looked at each other with a healthy dose of fear. They were used to being decimated on the paintball field. Every department they had ever went up against had absolutely demolished them. Usually within the first half hour. They even had a routine excuse for their poor performance. They were scientists, not warriors. (No matter how much they might like to be both.) They peered out the small slotted window of the shed as two more from the geology department trudged by, covered in red paint.

Leonard swallowed hard and looked at his friends. "Okay, I'm just going to say it. All of your girlfriends are scary."

Amy snickered from her seat on a hay bale. They all looked over at her and she shrugged. "What did you think would happen, guys? Penny was raised on a farm. Her grandfather took her hunting all the time. B's dad is a cop. And Gail's family has a long military history."

Sheldon looked at his friends with an expression of contemplation. "I think I may have to revise some of my disaster plans. It might be beneficial to incorporate our women into more active roles than just child-bearing for the purpose of repopulation."

Howard smirked. "Now, let's not get carried away. Repopulation is important, you know," he said, wiggling his eyebrows. Raj laughed aloud before slapping a hand over his mouth.

Leonard snorted. "Yeah, I can just see how well that will go over with the girls."

Raj let out a strangled whine as a gasp drew everyone's attention to the shed door. Penny, Gail and Bernadette were staring at Sheldon with slack jaws. Amy stood and walked over to join them, a picture of female solidarity.

"_Just_ child-bearing?" Bernadette hissed.

"Repopulation?" Gail asked stonily.

Penny cocked one hip and glared at her lover. "Sweetie, wanna take a wild guess where you'll be sleeping tonight?"

Sheldon's shoulders slumped and he sighed heavily. "Alone?"

Penny looked at her three girlfriends who all nodded. Penny looked back at the guys. "You keep your disaster plans, honey. We've got our own."

Bernadette grinned. "Never surrender."

Gail nodded. "Never retreat."

Amy shrugged apologetically. "Never take prisoners."

The guys had only a second's warning before the girls opened fire.

* * *

Sheldon tried to maintain his anger as Penny dabbed muscle cream over his paintball bruises. It wasn't easy, since Penny kept giggling every time he revealed a new one for her to treat. "Sorry," she said softly. "But you have to admit, you brought it on yourself for that little show of chauvinism."

Sheldon looked over his shoulder at her with a glare. "It was not chauvinism. It was simple physics. Men have stronger bodies, physically. It is common sense for the male species to take care of the female. I just hadn't taken into account the freakish affinity for masculine pursuits you three have."

Penny snorted with humor. She bent and her tongue darted out to flick at one of the bruises on his shoulder. "So now I'm too masculine?" she purred into his ear.

Sheldon's pulse sped up, and his groin tightened. "Woman, you are messing with forces beyond your ken," he growled.

Penny moved her fingers along his ribs and inched his nipples. Her breath was hot against his neck. "Yeah? Well, your ken can kiss my Barbie," she retorted.

Sheldon twisted to draw her in front of him but Penny slithered from his grasp to slide to the floor between his knees. Her hands smoothed over his thighs and she licked her lips. Sheldon's breath caught in his throat as he watched the fire in her eyes grow hotter. "Or," she smirked, "maybe my Barbie should kiss your Ken."

He swallowed convulsively as Penny reached for his zipper. She couldn't mean…..! Surely she wasn't going to…! Oh lord! She was! Sheldon's eyes rolled back in his head. He finally managed to find his voice, but the only thing that came out was "Don't stop!"


	26. Chapter 19B

**Yep, It's another deleted scene! These two were vague ideas I had, but never found a space for in the story.**

Bernadette looked at the little plastic stick, her mind utterly blank. Two. Not one, but two little blue lines. What was she going to do? How would Raj react? How the hell was this even possible? She was on the pill and they always used condoms! Always!

Bernadette sighed. Okay, she knew that condoms and contraception was not 100% foolproof. Even together they weren't an absolute certainty against pregnancy. But come on! The odds of getting pregnant were so minimal they were practically nil!

She looked up as her doorbell rang. She looked at the clock on the wall and hurriedly straightened her hair. Raj was here for dinner. She took a deep breath and headed for the door. Did she tell him before or after they ate?

**One Final blurb, guys. ****J**

"Young man, you have some explaining to do."

Howard cringed as his mom's voice washed over him. "Aww, Ma! I promise to replace it. It was just a cheesecake! There's plenty of other things in the fridge! I was hungry!" he yelled across the house as he walked in from work.

He headed to the living room, knowing his mom was in her massive recliner, watching her game shows. He froze when he saw Gail sitting on the ottoman beside his mom, playing gin rummy.

"Gail?" he whispered.

She looked at him with a smirk. "Hey, hot stuff."

Howard looked at his mom, worry and embarrassment warring inside him. He loved his mom. He really did. He also suspected he was starting to love this vivacious statuesque redhead. He also knew there was no way in hell his mom would approve of anyone who wasn't 100% Jewish.

His mom stared at him angrily. "You ate the cheesecake? I thought I was sleep eating again!" She shook her head, her multiple chins wagging. "Never mind that now! Why haven't you told your mother you were dating this woman?! Are you ashamed of me?"

Howard turned white. Well, whiter than normal, anyway. "NO! Of course not, Ma!"

"So you were ashamed of me?" Gail asked sternly.

Howard wanted to cry. Or flee. "No! I'm not ashamed of either one of you!" He twitched like Sheldon trying to keep a secret. "I…. I just….."

Mrs. Wolowitz looked at the woman who had knocked on her door this morning and introduced herself as her Howie's girlfriend. After a tense first hour of suspicion and anger, she had found herself liking the unorthodox girl. "Dearie, no one with a lick of sense could find you embarrassing. And if Howie thinks otherwise, I'll set him straight."

Gail beamed at Howard's mother. "And no one could be ashamed of having such an incredible mother. Especially one who makes such a fabulous brisket!"

Howard watched open mouthed as the two most important women in his life smiled at each other. "You …like each other?" he asked faintly.

They both looked at him. "Of course."

He slowly smiled. "Ma, you don't mind Gail isn't Jewish?"

Mrs Wolowitz frowned at him severely. "Young man, I didn't raise you to be prejudiced!"

Howard walked over and pulled Gail to her feet. He grinned up at her happily. "I'm going to marry you," he vowed.

Gail grinned back down at him. "I know."

Mrs. Wolowitz dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. "My baby boy is all grown up," she cried.

**If you're wondering why the increase in postings, I'm coming down with a nasty bug. I don't want to leave you guys hanging while I spend a few days making friends with the toilet. I'm trying to get it all spell checked and up before I start feeling worse. :(**


	27. Chapter 20

**Penny has had a rough go of it for the last couple of chapters. Time for a bit of lightheartedness.**

Sheldon watched Penny wave until the car was completely out of sight, knowing that as soon as she stopped she would need comforting. Cat was off to Colorado with Kurt for the next 11 weeks. It hurt him tremendously that he would not hear her call him "Oki" until May. As painful as it was for him, he knew it was devastating for his girlfriend. She had never been separated from her daughter for more than two weeks since her birth.

Finally Penny's arm drooped and she turned around. Immediately he pulled her into his arms and cradled her close. Silent tears soaked into his shirts, but he refused to fidget. A few feet away stood their friends. They were placing the last of the luggage in the trunk of Howard's car. A surprise for Penny. He had secretly packed her a couple of bags when she took Cat to iHop for a goodbye breakfast.

He gently released Penny and walked her toward the others. She blinked away the remaining tears and looked at them with confusion and growing hurt. "Are you guys going somewhere?" she asked hesitantly.

"Correction," Sheldon said calmly. "WE are. By we, I mean all of us."

Gail nodded. "I already cleared it with your boss. You need a vacation, and he took you off the schedule for two weeks. So, hop in chika. Road trip time."

Penny looked at each one and shook her head. "What are you talking about? I can't take a vacation! What if Cat …." a sob broke her words off and she looked away. "Guys, I just want to go upstairs and have a good cry, okay?"

Sheldon swept Penny up in his arms and deposited her into Leonard's backseat. Amy quickly slid in beside her and Sheldon took the front passenger seat. Before Penny could do more than stammer out a protest, Leonard was behind the wheel, starting the car.

"Where the hell do you think you're taking me?" she demanded, growing furious with Sheldon's high-handedness.

Sheldon looked pained for a moment before turning to face her. "To the one place that Gail insists will help you and the rest of us deal with our sadness. Las Vegas." He turned back to face front as Leonard pulled into traffic, Howard, Gail, Raj and Bernadette behind them. "This better work," he muttered.

* * *

She knew she should be pissed off. They had essentially kidnapped her. She hated having no say in her life, even in the smallest ways. On the other hand, she knew they had done this for her. To help distract her from the paralyzing ache in her heart. How the hell was she going to survive three months without her daughter?

She watched the bright lights grow closer and closer as they drove along the highway. It had been years since she had a vacation, and she had never been to Vegas before. She was a bit ashamed to admit there was a little bit of excitement growing in her as they got closer and closer.

Amy looked at her with a wide grin. "Isn't it beautiful?" she asked, looking back out the window. "I have always wanted to visit the Bellagio. That's where they host most of the WPT tournaments. I love watching the professions play poker. It's so interesting to me. Watching them read each other, or bluff. Absolutely fascinating. I'd love to scan Huck Seed's brain while he plays for large pots."

Penny couldn't help smiling slightly. Trust Amy to equate gambling to her field of study.

Leonard smiled at them in the rearview mirror. "I'm more interested in the robotics conference at the Sands. I read that a company from Japan is unveiling a new cybernetic computer interface."

Penny looked at Sheldon curiously. "What about you, sweetie? What are you looking forward to?"

Sheldon blushed immediately. He looked at Penny in the rearview mirror and smiled shyly. "It's a surprise," he said calmly.

Penny thought about questioning him more, but Amy distracted her by listing all the shows that were scheduled for this week, asking which ones she might like to go to.

* * *

Penny followed Sheldon to their room, feeling a bit tired. It had been a long, stressful day. It was not even 6pm, but all she wanted to do was crawl into the bed and get some sleep. She wasn't surprised Sheldon had booked them a room together, but she had been surprised by which room he had booked. The honeymoon suite seemed a bit excessive. When she had asked him about that in the elevator, he had shrugged and responded logically.

"It is the best suite in the hotel, Penny. My research assures me that it is the best maintained. It is also the largest. There is a bedroom, living room, small kitchen, bathroom, hot tub and more than enough closet space for the both of us." He sounded so clinical about it, that she had to smile. Only her whack-a-doodle would book a honeymoon suite for it's closet space.

Sheldon unlocked the door with the cardkey and held it open for her. She couldn't help but be impressed by the sheer magnificence of the suite. Everything was perfect, from the roses on the table to the sheer curtains that framed the windows. Sheldon put their luggage in the bedroom and began unpacking while she took a moment to use the bathroom. When she came out, she was surprised to see Sheldon laying out clothes for them.

He looked at her nervously, and cleared his throat. "We have reservations for dinner in just over an hour. We should get ready."

Penny sat down on the edge of the bed and sighed. "Sheldon, can't we just rest tonight? I'm exhausted, physically and emotionally."

He cupped her jaw and bent to kiss her. "Dinner first, okay?" he asked with a bit of a plea. "Then we can return here and go to bed. Our friends are expecting us. I promise to bring you back here as soon as we have eaten."

Penny sighed and finally nodded. "Okay," she said wearily. "As long as we come straight back to the room. I really need some sleep."

"I promise," he said once more.

Penny picked up the dress he had set out. It was one of his favorites, she knew. A cream colored slip dress with an ivory lace overlay. He said it made her look delicate and fragile. She headed back to the bathroom, knowing she needed a quick shower to freshen up.

As soon as she stepped into the shower, Sheldon grabbed his phone. He quickly called Leonard. "She is showering now. Is everyone ready?"

"As ready as we'll ever be," Leonard said in a low voice. "Are you sure we're doing this right?"

Sheldon nodded even though Leonard couldn't see him. "Yes. I have planned everything to the last detail. I have reviewed all the possible outcomes in my mind. I am positive, Leonard."

"Okay," Leonard said, a hint of excitement in his voice. "The rest of us are heading out now. We'll see you soon."

Sheldon hung up and quickly gathered what he needed for his own shower. This was going to work. It had to.

* * *

Sheldon handed the driver a card instead of giving him an address. "Please take us here." The driver grinned widely and nodded.

Penny was beginning to get really nervous and suspicious. "Sheldon, why didn't the others wait for us so we could drive to the restaurant together? Where are you _really_ taking me?"

Sheldon took a deep breath and turned to face her. "Two months ago we said we haven't been together long enough to make the kind of commitment a baby would need, but I think we were wrong." He brushed his fingers through her hair and smiled wryly. "I cannot imagine that anyone else would ever mean as much to me as you do. I do not believe in destiny, Penny, but in 27 years, no one has ever touched my emotions the way you do. At home, I find myself dreading the coming of night. Because I know I'll have to let you leave my side. I have adjusted my schedule for the first time in over a decade because I needed you in it. I didn't just _want_ you in my life, I honestly _need _you in it."

Sheldon took her left hand in his. "I want to marry you," he said softly.

Penny barely even noticed that the taxi had pulled up to a curb. Her heart thudded in her chest as she looked at Sheldon. She licked her dry lips and swallowed hard. "You ….you want to marry me?" she asked softly.

Sheldon nodded nervously.

Penny stared into his eyes, slowly registering the worry and fear in his expression. He was scared she would reject him! She took a moment to wish Cat was with them. She smiled lovingly up at him. "Yes."

Sheldon's breath whooshed out of him and his knees shook. A second later he grabbed her up in a huge hug. Sheldon couldn't stop the trembling of his limbs as his emotions overwhelmed him. He saw their friends gathered around the sidewalk, hugging each other happily.

Sheldon stepped from the cab and pulled Penny to her feet. Their friends hurried inside, leaving them to follow more slowly. Once they were inside the little chapel, Sheldon paused and drew her over to a table. "Penny, I know your sense of whimsy, your dedication to your loved ones, and your absolute belief in happily-ever-afters. So, I have planned accordingly."

Sheldon turned and picked up a bouquet. He handed it to her solemnly. "Pink and white daisies among stargazer lilies. Simple, whimsical, yet glamorous, like you."

Penny teared up and took the delicate flowers from him. "They're beautiful," she whispered.

Sheldon presented her his arm and she slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow. He gave her a brief kiss and drew her into the main room. Penny gasped as she looked at all the people gathered. Besides their friends, she saw Zack and Priya. Missy, Mary and Meemaw Cooper were also near the front, smiling widely. Penny looked up at Sheldon who was watching her hopefully.

"You did this for me?" she asked softly.

"Not just this," he said, turning to point to the altar. Penny followed his finger and her knees almost gave out.

"Mommy! Oki!"

Kurt stood near the altar, holding Cat's hand. She was decked out in a pink dress and Mary Janes, holding a much smaller bouquet of the same flowers. Sheldon drew Penny's gaze back to him. "I knew we couldn't get married without the people we love."

Penny placed a hand on his jaw line and smiled with all the joy and love in her heart. "Sheldon Cooper, I know you don't believe in luck, but I am truly the luckiest girl in the entire world. I don't know how you planned all of this out without me knowing, but I will never forget this day as long as I live. I love you."

Sheldon drew her close and kissed her deeply. "I love you, too." Then he drew her toward the altar where the man in a rhinestone jumpsuit awaited them.


	28. Chapter 21

**Epilogue:**

Cat grimaced as she stood perfectly still. She hated standing still! Uggh! "Aren't we finished yet?" she whined. Her Mom looked up at her with a mouth full of pins.

"S'and s'ill, honey," she mumbled as best she could. "Your step-dad will be ready soon."

Cat smiled, knowing how important this was for him. She flipped her curls over her shoulder as the dressing room door opened and Aunt Amy walked in. She was carrying Isaac on one hip and a small box in her free hand.

Aunt Amy set the box down and kissed Cat's cheek. "How's my little munchkin?"

Cat rolled her eyes as only a 17 year old could. "Mom is still fiddling with my hem. Could you please tell her that it's fine?"

Mom looked at Aunt Amy and rolled her eyes as only a mom could. "She snagged it and it had to be fixed," she said, spitting the rest of the pins into a candy dish. "Is everyone here?"

Aunt Amy nodded, letting her 4 yr old slid off her hip. He immediately plopped down on the floor and started trying to take off his shoes. Mom got to her feet and smoothed her own dress. She glanced at her watch and checked her hair.

"Okay, Cat, you need to go get Alexander. I'll get Victor. We need to gather in the alcove in 5 minutes, okay?"

Cat nodded and went into the next room to pull her brother away from his laptop. Predictably, he was deep in a computer game. Some sort of barbarian simulation thingy that he and mom were always playing together. Al muttered angrily about almost leveling up, but followed once she shook a fist under his nose. By the time they got to the alcove, Uncle Howard was trying to adjust her step-dad's tie. A second later Mom appeared with her other brother against her chest, his little fist rubbing sleepily at his eyes.

She reached for Vic immediately so her mom could fix Sheldon's tie. She would never, ever admit it aloud, but watching the way they smiled at each other always made her happy. She kissed her littlest brother's cheek, drawing in the sweet smell of baby shampoo and talc.

Tonight her step-dad was being honored by the university for having won a Nobel Prize. In two weeks, they would fly to Stockholm for the actual presentation. She kinda wished she was going, too, but she had the SATs to take. Then she was off for the summer with her Dad.

Meemaw-Mary walked up with Aunt Missy and hugged them before taking Al and Vic to their seats. Her aunts and uncles gave quick congratulations also and hurried away. Then it was just her, Mom and Sheldon. Cat walked over and pulled a small box from her pocket.

"I made this," she said nervously. Sheldon and Mommy looked at her with pride and a bit of surprise. Sheldon reached for the small box and opened it up. She blushed when she saw the look of joy on his face.

"You made this for me?" he asked gently.

Cat nodded as he pulled the lapel pin out and studied it. She loved working with jewelry, and this one was a piece she took extra care with. A gold circle with an onyx insert was a simple looking piece, but it was important to her that he liked it.

"You know, you were almost 6 when you stopped calling me Loki," he said softly. He looked at her with love. "I've always missed that." He attached the symbol for Loki to his right lapel and held out his arms. Cat threw herself into his hug and bit her lip to keep from getting teary-eyed.

"I love you," she said softly. "You're the best step-dad a girl could have."

Sheldon kissed the top of her head. "I love you, too, Cat. I couldn't imagine a better daughter."

Cat moved to hug her mom, smiling as Mom whispered words of love and pride in her ear. She hurried away and walked to the large table holding the rest of her family. She sat down between Aunt Gail and Al and took the handkerchief Uncle Raj passed over to her. She turned her attention to President Gabelhauser as he began his speech.

She studied her parents on the podium behind the president. She loved them so much. In a year she would go off to college. She was strongly considering GIA in Carlsbad. It was only an hour away, but she wanted to get an apartment of her own. Sheldon was worried, but Mom was coming around. She watched as Sheldon approached the podium. He took a moment to cast one last loving look at Mom before clearing his throat and giving his speech.

Someday, she would have a love like theirs. She wouldn't settle for less.

* * *

**Thank you to everyone who read, reviewed or proofread for me. I am immensely grateful to each and every one of you. This story means a great deal to me. What started as a wish for something light-hearted, turned into quite a cathartic endeavor for me. As some of you know, I had a daughter who passed away from cancer almost 11 years ago. On the 27th of this month, she would have turned 16. When I first conceived of Cat, I had only a vague picture of her in my head. A typical little girl who hero-worshiped Sheldon, basically. As the chapters developed I found myself incorporating more and more of Olivia into her. The tutu/cowboy vest combo, wallygators, the Scooby doll (which sits on my bookshelf beside her Pikachu doll), and the photo book are all things that I took from real life. The image that now resides on this story is Olivia Dawn Knight, my baby girl, who I miss so damn much. My own real-life Cat.**


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